US govt fails expats in Tsunami zone.

[Jayster84]

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 documentation, they had to have new passports issued.

But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures, Helen Wachs said.



Read More


http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/28/tsunami.diver/index.html

[noshenanigans]

1. Well, if you're looking for the American officials..

first place to check would be the VIP lounge.

:grr:

[allemand]

2. "U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures"

Incredible, simply incredible.

:mad:

[leQ]

7. that's what happens when you have leaders

who not only turn their backs on such arrogance, but encourage it.

[SariesNightly]

3. Rotten to the core

I suppose the VIP Lounge is the "booth", a God given right no less.

And without passports as proof, the victims have no rights at all.

[histohoney]

4. I've traveled

alot,(Family trips, Medical Missionary work, Adoption,etc.)The Missionary board warned us that the USA has the WORST record with helping their citizens aboard. They asked if any of us had any other passports, duel citizenship, anything. They also suggested trying other consults if you get in trouble, England,Australia,are the most helpful(They can't issue papers but they will call and shame the US embassy for you and have at times given money to help.)

I have never had any problems with any US embassies that I have worked with but what a shame to have this reputation.

[SodoffBush]

5. What a bunch of fucking assholes

The US is in steep decline.

[Rose Siding]

6. This is worth a damn phone call. They HAVE to know we're watching!

Who best? Rep? Senator? Everyone?

This is just insanely stupid.

[Julius Civitatus]

8. They should pull themselves from the bootstraps

and don't expect any guv'mint handouts, as any good Republicon would say. Grover "Palpatine" Norquist would not expect any less from red-blooded Murkans! Our tax dollars are there to take care of more important things, like starting unnecessary wars in the Middle East.

Now seriously, this tragedy is making the US look really bad. Our government pledged just a token amount for the relief efforts (had to be embarrassed into increasing that amount), and our government would not even take care of its own citizens stranded in the affected countries. Disgusting.

[NYC]

15. There are no bootstraps on bathing suits.

I heard many people were in bathing suits, barefoot, no possessions of any kind.

Imagine treating people this way.

[noshenanigans]

9. If your hotel is destroyed

Theoretically your wallet went with it. So what if they were unable to pay for the passport photos?

This is insanity!

[histohoney]

10. Duhh

Makes you want to send a tutor out to the Embassy doesn't it.

[noshenanigans]

11. heh

That's when I wish you could sidle over the the Canadian lines.. "Uh, yeah, my papers are gone but, uh, je suis Quebecois, eh?"

[DustMolecule]

12. LOL - n/t

[Demeter]

13. And This Is a Surprise, Because?

It's a beautiful day in Bush neighborhood, a beautiful day for your neighbor hood...

[Liberal In Texas]

14. Time Was

the consulate would lend someone a few hundred bucks until they could get their insurance etc. straightened out. Things have certainly changed.

Now, I think your best bet is to have an AmEx card and if you lose it abroad they make sure you have another ASAP (so you can start charging on it LOL).

[SoCalDem]

16. The State Department is very UNhelpful to US people abroad

When my son went to college in Florence, they were told in no uncertain terms, that if they got into trouble in Europe, they were ON THEIR OWN..

I am sure they were hinting at a "drug issue", but they basically said "Don't Call Us for ANYTHING".

[R Hickey]

17. The US officials that demanded payment should be shot.

But that's just me.