Sakchai writes home from jail
THE CAMPAIGN to press for the release of a young Shetland man of Thai origin who is threatened with deportation, received a boost yesterday (Friday).
For the first time since his arrest last week, Sakchai Makao was able to write from the high security prison in Durham to thank islanders for the huge amount of support they have given him.
Family friend and campaign co-ordinator Davie Gardner said Mr Makao's spirits were remarkably high, given the circumstances.
The 23 year old was taken into custody from his home in Lerwick's Haldane Burgess Crescent by immigration officers in the early morning of 6 June. A notice of deportation was served a few days later.
He is one of more than 1,000 foreign nationals with a criminal record the Home Office is keen to round up after being accused of inefficiency by the national media.
But Mr Makao's arrest has created outrage in the isles where the young athlete and pool attendant is a popular member of the community.
More than 7,000 signatures on a petition calling for his release have been collected during the first week of the campaign, while 800 islanders turned out for a support rally earlier this week.
Yesterday, Mr Gardner said that Mr Makao's letter was giving them all new strength to continue their fight for his release even more vigorously.
He said: "I think if the campaign was in any ways flagging which it isn't, this is the sort of letter that is absolutely reinvigorating. It certainly did for me last night. While I was not flagging mentally, I was physically by that time. It completely refocused me on the fact that this is a very remarkable young man we are dealing with here.
"It just drives us more to take this young boy home into the community he deserves to be in."
In his letter, addressed to his work colleagues at the Shetland Recreational Trust and to his supporters, Mr Makao (prisoner number PG7923) wrote: "I want to say thank you to you guys and Davie from the bottom of my heart.
"Like my dad always said; when you find a true friend that friend will show you how much he loves you, and he was right. I've found you guys and I can't be any happier no matter what happens.
"Everyone in Shetland has brought tears and joy to my heart, so don't worry about me. I can handle anything they throw at me. My hope and faith will be with you guys. Hope to see you soon."
He also finds time to write about the performance of his dream team at the football World Cup and describes his lawyer as young and sexy.
Mr Makao has been living in Shetland since the age of ten, and in the UK since he was seven, when he moved with his mother and sister to Glasgow. He has been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
In 2004, he was sentenced to 15 months in a young offender institution after being convicted for fire raising. No request for deportation was made at that time.
Two years after his release he has fallen victim to the Home Office's crackdown on the 1,000 foreign nationals who have been released from jail into the community without being considered for deportation.
Mr Gardner said the community in Shetland was ready to fight on until they had Sakchai back.
He added: "The campaign is breaking off into two places now. We are continuing with the work of writing letters to pressure to bring Sakchai home and to get justice for him, but we are also have now a fund raising group to raise money we inevitably need for the legal campaign and his and his family's expenses throughout that campaign."
An application for bail was lodged last week and the bail hearing has now been set for Tuesday.
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