September 16, 2004

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See HK from the inside

The SCMP is reporting the Hong Kong Tourist Board have missed a massive source of new tourists: Vietnamese illegal immigrants (IIs):

Vietnamese men are being sold what a police officer described as "travel packages to Hong Kong prisons" as gangs prey on those desperate to escape poverty, a court was told yesterday...

"The defendant committed this offence because of the bad economic situation in Vietnam and it is expected that by serving a prison sentence in Hong Kong, they can at least get themselves a bed and earn a wage," he [the prosecutor] said...

Judge Line said it was a very sad state of affairs that "prison in this country is better than an ordinary life elsewhere" but added that it made sentencing difficult.

It costs about HK$800 a day to keep a prisoner. Free board, free medical, free food and a modest wage for a couple of years is enough to entice these people. Indeed compared to some of the hostels and working conditions here prison isn't a bad way to go.

If only the HK Tourism Board would wake up and cut out the middle-man. They could organise these tours themselves.

posted by Simon on 09.16.04 at 11:07 AM in the




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