Okay let's take a little detour from the dance, not that I've been writing much anyway, and talk about something that happened yesterday at the Changi Airport. Our gleaming, beautiful world-class gift to humanity.
My step-mum, being Thai, has tons of family in Thailand. For them to see the newest addition to our family, my baby brother, they have to fly in, yes? How much do you think the average Thai earns? Compare that to an air ticket to Singapore. Forget about the big names, think budget airlines. Still way more than an average Thai can afford.
Approximate damage is 9000 baht. A whole month's salary. Figure out how long it takes to save up that amount. Then figure out how pissed off, miserable and saddened you'll feel when upon touching down on this beautiful, safe, democratic, amazing country you are held for several hours with no food, paraded about from one end of the airport to the other like some criminal, given absolutely no explanation, no attempt at all at reassuring this non-English speaker that she has done absolutely no fucking wrong and then sent back to Thailand.
You know what one of the Thai officers told her when she got to Thailand?
"They send back a few Thais each day."
Oh so you need to meet a quota for people to send back now? Choose them at random, eh. What, those that don't spend big bucks in your resorts, your gambling dens and your shitty malls don't deserve to come here to visit family?
My step-mum, being Thai, has tons of family in Thailand. For them to see the newest addition to our family, my baby brother, they have to fly in, yes? How much do you think the average Thai earns? Compare that to an air ticket to Singapore. Forget about the big names, think budget airlines. Still way more than an average Thai can afford.
Approximate damage is 9000 baht. A whole month's salary. Figure out how long it takes to save up that amount. Then figure out how pissed off, miserable and saddened you'll feel when upon touching down on this beautiful, safe, democratic, amazing country you are held for several hours with no food, paraded about from one end of the airport to the other like some criminal, given absolutely no explanation, no attempt at all at reassuring this non-English speaker that she has done absolutely no fucking wrong and then sent back to Thailand.
You know what one of the Thai officers told her when she got to Thailand?
"They send back a few Thais each day."
Oh so you need to meet a quota for people to send back now? Choose them at random, eh. What, those that don't spend big bucks in your resorts, your gambling dens and your shitty malls don't deserve to come here to visit family?
She did all the 'correct' things that any visitor has to do to enter a country. There are numbers to call if any clarification is needed especially since her English isn't that great. But nooo, all the officers did was ignore the questions, ignore her requests for food and ultimately send her back with no explanation.
This is what the ICA had to say, when I emailed them:
3 The decision of refusal of entry would be conveyed by an ICA Duty Officer to the visitor whom were assessed to be ineligible for the issuance of a visit pass under the current immigration policies, followed by issuance of a Notice of Refusal of Entry.
4 The repatriation for inadmissible passengers and their accommodation in the Inadmissible Passengers (IP) Room pending their return flight, where food and other amenities are provided, are arranged by the Airline or its ground handling agent. For security reasons, the use of communication devices is prohibited in the Immigration Halls and IP Room.
Oh please. Your proper procedure took place in the most magical way possible. AKA all in your bloody imagination. And why, should the airline or ground handling agents be the ones supplying refreshments? Isn't it the ICA's locale?
And then the bereaucratic nonsense:
5 If your relative wishes to visit Singapore in future, she may submit an application for a Visit Pass prior to her arrival through a local sponsor in Singapore to the Visitor Services Centre, 4th Storey, ICA Building, 10 Kallang Road, Singapore 208718 for our consideration.
6 The following documents are required for the application:
a) duly completed & signed application forms - Form 14 & V39I (downloadable from our website: http://www.ica.gov.sg);
b) photocopies of applicant's passport; and
c) local sponsor's Singapore NRIC.
Applicant and local sponsor may be required to provide additional information and documents whenever necessary.
7 The processing time is about 4 weeks and her local sponsor will be notified by post when the outcome is known.
Bitch please. You think she wants to come back to Singapore now?
This is what the ICA had to say, when I emailed them:
3 The decision of refusal of entry would be conveyed by an ICA Duty Officer to the visitor whom were assessed to be ineligible for the issuance of a visit pass under the current immigration policies, followed by issuance of a Notice of Refusal of Entry.
4 The repatriation for inadmissible passengers and their accommodation in the Inadmissible Passengers (IP) Room pending their return flight, where food and other amenities are provided, are arranged by the Airline or its ground handling agent. For security reasons, the use of communication devices is prohibited in the Immigration Halls and IP Room.
Oh please. Your proper procedure took place in the most magical way possible. AKA all in your bloody imagination. And why, should the airline or ground handling agents be the ones supplying refreshments? Isn't it the ICA's locale?
And then the bereaucratic nonsense:
5 If your relative wishes to visit Singapore in future, she may submit an application for a Visit Pass prior to her arrival through a local sponsor in Singapore to the Visitor Services Centre, 4th Storey, ICA Building, 10 Kallang Road, Singapore 208718 for our consideration.
6 The following documents are required for the application:
a) duly completed & signed application forms - Form 14 & V39I (downloadable from our website: http://www.ica.gov.sg);
b) photocopies of applicant's passport; and
c) local sponsor's Singapore NRIC.
Applicant and local sponsor may be required to provide additional information and documents whenever necessary.
7 The processing time is about 4 weeks and her local sponsor will be notified by post when the outcome is known.
Bitch please. You think she wants to come back to Singapore now?
Please try at least to respect the visitor the next time. She's not a prostitute, not all Thai women coming to Singapore are prostitutes. Stop with the ridiculous profiling. Especially when it's obvious that it fails and the pimps have other ways of bringing the girls they need in.
Fuck you ICA. Fuck you very much. Oops should I have used some stereotypical poor Asian lingo? Fuck you long time ICA. No 5 dolla.
No comments:
Post a Comment