You've been pick-pocketed. You lost your passport, or you've had an emergency and smashed up that cute minuscule rental car. Maybe you had too much to drink and ran afoul of the local authorities. Emergencies of all sorts do occur while traveling, and some develop preparation and insight of Asian culture and law is in order.
Victim of a crime?
News From Laos
In many of the major Asian destinations, the crime rate is no worse than in the West, and often better. It's often said that in Tokyo, you can leave your wallet on the subway turn style and come back the next day and find it still there. Nonetheless, crime occurs everywhere, and it's best to be on your guard. Petty theft or pickpocketing may be common in some areas, so beware. Keep your wallet and money safe (never in your back pocket), and keep your passport locked in the hotel safe and carry only a photocopy in case you need it to show the authorities.
If you are a victim of a crime, then it may be a minuscule confusing. You may not know how to summon the police, or how to speak to them when they arrive. Your hotel will probably have an English-speaking concierge, so keep the name and phone amount of your hotel with you whenever you go out-they can ordinarily help you with advice and in speaking with the authorities if necessary. Your embassy will also be able to help, so keep their amount handy as well. Also, in some destinations, there are extra "tourist police" agencies, with English-speaking officers that specialize in helping foreigners.
Commit a crime?
The first and most leading thing to know in develop is that no matter where you are traveling, you must stay in compliance with the local laws, even if they differ from the laws back home. You do have an obligation to stay within the law, and don't assume that as an American you'll get extra treatment, or that your embassy will get you out of trouble-it doesn't work that way. Asian prisons are full of Westerners who made that assumption. If you do break the law, intentionally or unintentionally, don't lose your temper. Stay calm and don't try to bully your way out of it. Be respectful, and experience your embassy for assistance.
Be aware of the local law as well as custom. In Thailand for example, there is a strict lèse majesté law, which makes it illegal to speak against the king or to deface his image. There have been many cases of tourists doing just that, and winding up in a very disagreeable prison. The king himself tends to be good-hearted about such infractions and will often issue a pardon, but not before the perpetrator has spent a minuscule time behind bars.
Need a doctor?
Eat a few too many of the local fried beetles? Chile peppers burn a hole in your stomach? Forget that pedestrians don't have the right-of-way and get run down? Major Asian cities will ordinarily have modern hospitals that are equal in capability to any hospital in the West. If you are in a rural, less-developed area though, you may run into some mystery getting to a modern medical facility. The first thing to do is to find out before you leave, either your medical insurance covers you while traveling in Asia, and if not, get supplemental coverage. Be aware as well that foreign hospitals are likely to want payment up front for services.
If you use a designate medication, you may not be able to refill it while overseas, so be sure to take sufficient with you to last. Also, if you use any common over-the-counter medications, these too many not be facilely available, so pack extra.
Driving Emergencies
You may want to rent a car once you get to your destination-although in the biggest cities, social transportation will be facilely available. If you do rent a car, understand that local traffic laws may not be the same as back home, and even if they are, locals may not pay attentiveness to them. Drive with greatest caution at all times. If you do get into an auto accident, the authorities are likely to reconsider you to be at fault regardless of the circumstances, because you are a foreigner, and if you were not visiting in the first place, the emergency would not have occurred.
Depending on where you are, traffic police may see a foreigner driving a car as an opportunity. Bribery is rampant in some Asian cities, and you may get pulled over for questioning. If this happens, you have two options. You can go along with it, and possibly get pulled into the local police station, or you can do what many of them expect, which is to slip some paper currency under your passport as you hand it to them and be on your way.
A Few Tips for Staying Safe and Sane
· Be adventurous, but safe-know where you are at all times and what the risks are. For example, wandering aimlessly straight through the jungle in parts of Cambodia or Laos is not a good idea, there are still active land mines left over from the war.
· If you are traveling with other people, it's easy to get lost or separated, and if you're in an unfamiliar place, it can be a frightening experience. It's ordinarily easy to rent a short-term cell phone just for use for the period of your trip, so make sure everyone in your party has one.
· Register with your local embassy upon arrival. Although it's not mandatory, doing so will make you accessible in case of emergency, or if man back home needs to experience you.
· Your reputation card enterprise may have a "travel emergency service" that can be useful. It is often ready at no charge, and you may already have it. The assistance may contain a local experience amount and English-speaking assistance.
Handling Emergencies on Your Asian TripMy Links : todays world news headlines
0 comments:
Post a Comment