- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - SG elite civil servants are farked up!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>6:16 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 4) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>33203.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Home > ST Forum > Story
May 15, 2010
Stuck in Shanghai - kindness from all except consulate
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I VISITED Shanghai recently for a 10-day holiday. On the ninth day there, my Australian travelling companion fell and broke her hip.
I stayed on to look after her when she had to undergo surgery there. A week later, I misplaced my handbag and while making a report at the local police station, I realised I had exceeded the 15 days I was allowed to be in China without a visa.
When I sought help at the Singapore Consulate the next day, I was handed a slip of paper with the contact details of the Shanghai Entry and Exit Administrative Bureau by a member of the consular staff and told to sort out the matter myself.
As I needed to return home urgently, I insisted on more help and was then referred to a Singaporean consular officer. After I related my predicament, he replied that he could not help me. I had to sort out the matter myself and would be fined, he said.
When I asked him to help by contacting the Shanghai bureau and writing for me a short explanatory note about the reason I had overstayed, he told me he was unable to do so and repeated that I would be fined.
Subsequently, I was referred to a Chinese staff member of the consulate, who told me who to see after making a call. I then visited the bureau. Each day I had to call the consulate to ask the staff to call the bureau. After four days, my visa was finally processed and I left for home the same evening.
In the unplanned extra fortnight I spent in Shanghai on account of my friend's accident and surgery, I encountered kindness and concern from everyone I met - nursing and medical staff, Australian consular officials and the Shanghai police.
I had expected the Singapore Consulate to be the most helpful, but this did not turn out to be so.
Wong Chia Lee (Ms)
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
May 15, 2010
Stuck in Shanghai - kindness from all except consulate
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I VISITED Shanghai recently for a 10-day holiday. On the ninth day there, my Australian travelling companion fell and broke her hip.
I stayed on to look after her when she had to undergo surgery there. A week later, I misplaced my handbag and while making a report at the local police station, I realised I had exceeded the 15 days I was allowed to be in China without a visa.
When I sought help at the Singapore Consulate the next day, I was handed a slip of paper with the contact details of the Shanghai Entry and Exit Administrative Bureau by a member of the consular staff and told to sort out the matter myself.
As I needed to return home urgently, I insisted on more help and was then referred to a Singaporean consular officer. After I related my predicament, he replied that he could not help me. I had to sort out the matter myself and would be fined, he said.
When I asked him to help by contacting the Shanghai bureau and writing for me a short explanatory note about the reason I had overstayed, he told me he was unable to do so and repeated that I would be fined.
Subsequently, I was referred to a Chinese staff member of the consulate, who told me who to see after making a call. I then visited the bureau. Each day I had to call the consulate to ask the staff to call the bureau. After four days, my visa was finally processed and I left for home the same evening.
In the unplanned extra fortnight I spent in Shanghai on account of my friend's accident and surgery, I encountered kindness and concern from everyone I met - nursing and medical staff, Australian consular officials and the Shanghai police.
I had expected the Singapore Consulate to be the most helpful, but this did not turn out to be so.
Wong Chia Lee (Ms)
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
