When Kofi's bluehelmets get there they will head straight for the banks and national treasuries.
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Posted on 12/31/2004 3:37:23 PM PST by wagglebee
While the world responds to calls for help in the wake of Asia's tsunami disaster, authorities say looting of victims is now taking place, with some accusations involving a rescue team.
According to the Nation newspaper in Thailand, rescue workers, or people disguised as rescue workers, have been stealing from those who drowned, as well as area shops.
Police in Phuket "have received complaints that a supposed rescue worker stole [$77,000 worth of jewelry] from a safe, while a man spotted another man trying to haul away his four-wheel-drive sports utility vehicle," the paper stated.
The owner of Mother Gems on Patong Beach, said the safe was crushed under wreckage from her department store.
A security officer, Thaweewong Wongthong, told authorities he saw a man "wearing shorts and white T-shirt with the word 'police' on its back opening the safe box."
The suspect reportedly arrived with 200 rescue workers from a foundation, and when police tried to call the group to form a lineup, the head of the team became angry and led his group to another town.
Police also found looted items on some rescuers on Phi Phi island.
A hotel manager reported "some rescue workers were spotted taking away valuable goods from dead bodies. Police later searched and found that some 20 of the workers had valuables looted from the dead," according to the paper.
One suspect, Winai Cholthan, was found with 33 items, including rings and earrings. He reportedly admitted he and four friends traveled by boat to loot the island.
Thieves also stole donated goods slated to be distributed to villagers in Takua Pa's Tambon Khao Lak.
Hundreds of extra police have been sent to areas where looting is reported to be heavy, according to Agence France-Presse.
At least 13 Burmese migrant workers have been arrested so far for stealing items including television sets.
"Many looters were arrested in Phuket," said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. "The ATM has been hit. It's really bad. We must consider these people very bad guys."
The process of identifying many of the victims remains difficult because wallets containing identification are missing, said Krabi police chief Sermphan Singthong.
"We are not sure whether the wallets were stolen or washed away by the waves," he said.
"Like I said on MY thread-- I have found my new FReepname
"Phuket" is the name of this city pronounced like I think it is? If so, I may use this as my new name here.
Why are we supposed to be shocked over this? It happens right here in the good ole U.S.A when there is a disaster. People don't automatically turn moral when disaster strikes. Morality takes a change of heart not a change of situation.
Not a very politic way to state it, but I have heard it said without reference to any specific religion:
For a free society to exist, it must be composed of a strongly moral society. Democracy will surely fail otherwise. Even the Constitutional Representative Democracy variant.
On foxnews one of the people who was gushing "reportage" from the scene said that it is not in the Thai culture to loot. I guess theft is ok, though.
Phuket" is the name of this city pronounced like I think it is?
No, it's more like foo-keet.
When Kofi's bluehelmets get there they will head straight for the banks and national treasuries.
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Shoot 'em on sight.
These people deserve to be killed.
Those looters that are caught will not do well.
After you shoot 'em, the rest'll loot 'em...
"People don't automatically turn moral when disaster strikes."
No, and in fact, I'd say that oftentimes, primal survival instincts rise to the fore when disaster strikes.
Not for everyone ... but those who are generally not restrained by an internal moral code have a prime opportunity to let loose when chaos reigns.
On a side note, I join with the whole world in prayers for these people.
We're watching a videotape of the 2000 New Years celebration--it was so amazing how the world came together in celebration.
And now, the world is doing the same, in tragedy.
Actually, we know some people who live there. They pronounce it poo-ket.
"No, it's more like foo-keet."
I like the other way better.
Anyone want to take a guess at what percentage of the hundreds of millions in aid goes to a) layers of Thai, Indonesian, Sri Lankan, etc., politicos and bureaucrats, from the national down to the local level, and b) United Nations-related agencies, where it's skimmed at every level of the U.N., top to bottom, and used to fund the U.N.'s obscene salaries, bureaucracy and operating costs.
I forgot to add Hagel to my previous post---I remembered that because I read your tagline--Thankx,,But,
why did you include Coleman in your Rinos list in your tagline? I agree on all of the other ones, great tagline.
I haven't noticed any noticeable rinoness from Norm Coleman, but I am open to being convinced. What have you noticed?
Gee, who would have thought....
That is LOW.
No they will be saying that if Bush had managed the Iraq war properly, they wouldn't have minded the money spent on the tsunami victims, BUT, as was pointed out repeatedly on MSNBC, what had been offered yesterday was only a half-a-day's worth of Iraq spending.
You are right about the boots, though. I don't understand how Biden and McCain can complain all the time about not enough troops but then turn around and complain about Defense spending---and weren't they both in Senate when Clinton was destroying the military?
Afraid it is pronounced with an "oo" sound, not an "uh" sound. Sorry, besides I like your screen name!!!
Are you as cantakerous as you namesake? Ha!
There was no looting of bodies after the Hurricanes in Fl.
There was some minor looting of property.
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