(originally was Re: Such Carnage is Hard to Believe!)
jmeissen@aracnet.com wrote on 29 Dec 2004 21:18:13 GMT:
> In article <telecom23.622.6@telecom-digest.org>, TELECOM Digest Editor
> <ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu> wrote:
> Meanwhile, the United Nations called on Dubya to do more than the
> stingy pittance he offered. He said he would 'think about it'. Trouble
> is, Dubya has gotten so badly in debt on account of Iraq, he does not
> have a lot of money left over for things like alleviating human misery.
> http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/28/tsunami.diver/index.html
> [American tsunami survivor] Faye Wachs said she was impressed by the
> efforts of the Thai government and the International Committee for the
> Red Cross, but "she was appalled at the treatment they got" from the
> U.S. government, her mother said.
> At the airport in Bangkok, other governments had set up booths to
> greet nationals who had been affected and to help repatriate them, she
> said.
> That was not the case with the U.S. government, Wachs told her mother.
> It took the couple three hours, she said, to find the officials from
> the American consulate, who were in the VIP lounge.
> Because they had lost all their possessions, including their documen-
> tation, they had to have new passports issued.
> But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures,
> Helen Wachs said.
> John Meissen jmeissen@aracnet.com
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, how did Dubya know they were not
> just a couple of 'terrorists' trying to sneak in and use the tsunami
> thing as an excuse? Anyway, Dubya has no spare money (right now, or
> probably for a few decades at least) to spend on such foolishness.
> Every spare nickle has to go to Navy SEALS and Army guys in their
> ongoing humane treatment of Iraqi terrorists -- err, prisoners. His
> religious war against Islam has many more years to go. PAT]
I came through Thai Domestic Arrivals from the south of Thailand
unhurt and unaffected. Lined up there in a very orderly fashion are
Red Cross People, Officials of the Thai Police, Embassy Officials
withe every known embassy wearing flags on their armbands, with forms
free money habdouts acomadition arrangements and tables for free phone
calls and free coffee drinks etc. It is very well done. The people are
friendly. There must be I estimate at least 100 people working
together there and very well.
However, I at first saw no US consul officials. Finally at the door,
30 yards away I saw two. They now wear badges just like cops that say
US Embassy. These two one a man and a woman were dressed very formerly
unlike the rest. they have no forms, they have no free coffee, they
have nothing except scowls on their ugly faces. I did not wish to be
further victimised by then and I imagine no one else would. I had my
passport money and ticket so I just got the hell away from those
two. I imagine they were interrupted from their xmas dinner or
something by the looks on their faces. Every time anyone walked by
looking injured they just looked away. Thats what we are getting for
our tax dollars. While these guys live the high life over here.
The next day I came there again to pick up a freind who was similiarly
unaffected as we had been staying in Phuket town. This time they
weren't even there but all the others were. There was a sign if you
are a US citizen come to such and such a VIP room where we are, I
gather that was some hike away if you could find it, to bad if you
have a broken leg I guess. You can be sure we did not go there and our
flights are out of here tonight. We called our families to say I was
ok and warned them not to even call up about me to save the money.
The Thais and other offiicials especially the Swedes were wonderful I have
no comment as to where I think the US officials belong but I guess it would
be called the monkey house here. The US says they will give some money here
I wonder what the conditions are?
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think that horrible mess has affected
almost everyone. Even people thousands of miles away ... a reader of
our mailing list based out of Phuket lost his life in it; two casual
aqauintences of mine who had gone over to the Phuket area to a gay
resort *probably* lost their lives; they were not good friends of
mine, just people I had met a couple times from Chicago. I say
'probably' since they have not been heard from or seen since they left
to go there a couple days before Christmas. They would not have been
in touch with me anyway, but rather with their own close friends, etc
who have not seen or heard from them. Bad news, all the way around. PAT]
Max Mustermann (anonymous@remail.amessage.info)