U.S. tsunami victim unhappy with treatment by his government

[baba]

Apologies if this has already been posted. This guy is a friend of mine who survived the tsunamis and was treated in an appalling manner by the U.S. embassy.


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/07/MNGQOAMQHR1.DTL

 
U.S. tsunami victim unhappy with treatment by his government
Man who moved to Thailand in 2001 denied free flight

Cicero A. Estrella, Chronicle Staff Writer


Friday, January 7, 2005

A bruised and cut-up Paul Landgraver expected help from the U.S. government after he survived the tsunami that devastated southern Asia. Instead, he said he got little but a bureaucratic run-around.

Landgraver, a U.S. citizen who had been living in Thailand since 2001, said he had watched in envy as other foreigners in Thailand were treated better by their respective governments. Many were flown home for free.

Landgraver, who had lost everything including the clothes he was wearing, had no such luck.

At a time of crisis, Landgraver said, the government failed to provide proper assistance.

"It was really frustrating," said Landgraver. "My last line of hope was to go to the embassy and that they would take care of me. Everyone I knew (from other countries) was going home on chartered flights. I was denied any aid."

State Department spokesman Lou Fintor said the government chartered flights only in special circumstances, such as when commercial flights are unavailable or during emergency evacuations.

Landgraver, 33, returned to the Bay Area on New Year's Day after begging his way onto a Japan Airlines flight to San Francisco International Airport, he said.

He is recovering from minor injuries and a nasal infection, but he remains upset that he was almost stranded in Bangkok.

Landgraver lived in San Francisco before moving to Khao Lak, just north of Phuket, Thailand, to be teach scuba diving three years ago. After the tsunami, he and his Swedish girlfriend -- wearing borrowed T-shirts and shorts -- hitchhiked 500 miles to Bangkok in hopes of finding their way home.

<snip>

[jackster]

1. this is the second documented story

of ill treatment towards survivors by the US

is the moral compassionate conservatism I've been hearing so much about?

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. You mean George wasn't so generous after all?

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