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.
Looting of bodies? Steal their Gold Watch?
World Net Daily . . . . hmmmm . . .
The probable reason thaweewong did not disturb your spell checker is that it looks like just another one of those onomatopoeic words; that is, it sounds like what it means. Can't you just hear all those european tourists yelling thaweewong, thaweewong, thaweewong!!! as the Thai stripper's act draws to a close and she loosens of her last items of clothing?
.. Wongthong, on the other hand, is just plain disgusting.
Disgusting, but predictable -- human nature being what it is.
In some the desire is there, but that pesky 2nd Amendment tends to get in the way of efficient looting.
Now don't try to change the subject to Wagglebee!
I know of several plane crashes in America where the victim's bodies and luggage was looted. The looters were probably Christian.
Unfortunately, people needing emergency/trauma care in the U.S. often exit the facilities missing cash and jewelry.
When whole generations of people die in such a situation, who actually ultimately receives the personal effects of the dead? The Government? And when the dead cannot be identified, what then?
All of this is heartbreaking to the core, no matter which way it goes.
It's just plain sad..
GOD HELP US ALL!!
Looters should be shot on site.
Looting is bad, certainly. But consider that these people also lost everything they owned. Including their family and homes. Good grief, their wearing clothes found floating that were most likely from the dead.
Reality is a pill that many cannot swallow.
As I've said, it's bad no matter how it's viewed. So it's either the Locals,
the Government, the Earth, or the future Excavations
that eventually find or take it.
Not much to choose from, from an ethical point of view.
Hmmm Archeologist's, Government officials?
Realistically, if you die anonymously or without a will in the USA, guess who loots you're Estate and/or personal belongings?
Bah, I'm blabbering common sense again.
"The looters were probably Christian"
They just think they are Christian.
It is like Bill Cosby's skit about the VW on the SF hill.
He doesn't want to drift backward into the bay, thinking that when he gets to Heaven St. Peter will ask:
"What are you doing here?"
Cosby" Me and a VW drifted backward into the bay"
St. P. " You go to hell!"
I guess Rumsfeld didn't have a plan to control the looting after the tsunami. If John Kerry had been elected he would have shared his "secret plan" to fix this whole thing, but now because of irregularities in Ohio he's cooling his heels on Beacon Hill.
"Are you as cantakerous as you namesake? Ha!"
Not in my opinion...but my wife may tell you otherwise.
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