Diary of Refugee in Thai Prison · Digitizing Ancient and Modern Refugeehood Exhibit

Title: Diary of Refugee in Thai Prison
Rights: Object donated to the Vietnamese Heritage Museum by Doan Van Nguyen
Type: Paper diary
Creator: Nguyen Doan
Date: Approx. 1980s
Description: Journaling diary with a pink paper cover decorated with flowers and a white bunny, and fixed with painter's tape. The diary belonged to Nguyen Doan, a Vietnamese refugee who wrote it during the year he was imprisoned in Thailand following his escape attempt from Vietnam. The diary describes his escape from Vietnam, two pirate attacks, and the subsequent months of captivity in a Thai prison.
He fled Vietnam by boat with about 100 people. During the voyage, they were attacked by Thai pirates who abducted a girl from their boat. Then they were attacked a second time, during which they fought back and killed several pirates. As a consequence, Nguyen Doan and 18 other refugees were arrested by Thai police and imprisoned for close to a year.
Format: Journaling diary with a pink paper cover decorated with butterflies and a white bunny, and fixed with painter's tape.

Site pages: Group 5: Refugee Memories and Documentation; Group 2; Group 4: Reconstructing Home: Creating a Sense of Familiarity Through Sentimental Objects; Group 6: Multiplicity of Refugee Experiences; Group 7: The Modern Odyssey