Thursday, September 27, 2007

The life and times of SE Asia

What is bloody going on in SE Asia?!

In about 7 weeks, Willis & I will be flying into Ho Chi Minh city for a two-week tour of SE Asia. Despite the fact that we're no strangers to danger (Willis looks amazingly like Chuck Norris, and I like Mr T.), we've been wondering whether we should be raising the premiums on our life insurance policies. I'll explain:

28 September - Burma

No stranger to public uprisings over time, Burma has again seen violence as peaceful pro-democracy protesters are shot and Buddhist monasteries are raided by local security authorities. The SMH reports today on the latest in urban violence.

26 September - Vietnam
Bridge collapses over the Hau River, killing at least 43 people and injuring 87 others. Apparently the bridge is one of the busiest in the Mekong Delta. See this AP report for more information.

16 September - Thailand
Budget airline crashes into the island of Phuket, killing at least 89 and injuring many others. See this Daily Telegraph report written in the aftermath of the crash.

So, here's a possible game plan:
  • Avoid public pro-democracy uprisings
  • Take Vietnamese ferries wherever possible
  • Don't fly One-To-One
  • Get oneself another intra-pool swim-up barside cocktail

2 comments:

Mum said...

I just don't want to go there (not figuratively speaking, of course).

tim said...

Shame on you, Belly.

I'm appalled at the one-sided slant of this post, particularly regarding the "peaceful" pro-democracy demonstrators in Burma.

What the media aren't reporting is that the demonstrators are actually inflaming the situation - Here's how:

1. The monks are wearing red - completely inflammatory.

2. The monks are breaking the law - video footage on the news shows them constantly jaywalking and disregarding pedestrian crossings.

3. Other protesters are holding up signs with words on them. WORDS GOD DAMN IT!

If you can't control these violations of law with tear gas, firearms and casualties... I don't know what you're meant to do.