I dont know any chinese.
I don’t know why they attacked me, because I don’t understand chinese.
If it matters that I talked to chinese people with vaginas, does it matter that I talked to spanish people with penises?
Is one fact, more important than the other? If so, which one, and why?
I don’t understand. People are posting here trying to figure out what happened and whether or not the poster is worthy of their sympathy. What does it matter? He didn’t come here for sympathy, for as far as I can tell. I’d say he is much more interested in seeing his original question answered - is there anything the man can do to recoup the money spent on medical treatment? And is there anyone who saw the incident and thus may possibly be able to testify? That’s what this thread is about. It’s not a case of “Rate the Victim”
So, it seems you went into the wrong bar, one that is at least known to have had many of these foreigner beat-down sessions. Apparently you were not aware of the Pig’s reputation for these, so somebody must have decided it was time to give you the traditional welcome. As your memory of events is a bit unclear, I did look at some security camera footage that seemed to show you mouthing the words: “What’s the ‘traditional welcome’?” right before a dozen people jumped up from their seats to show you.
Reminds me of the Greek bar that has “American football” night in which a burp is a touchdown and a fart counts for the extra point. Amazing how fast that bar starts chanting: “Block that kick! Block that kick!” But I digress… only to say that it was a good thing you were in a Taiwanese bar this time.
And then you skedaddled over to the UK, which makes it a bit difficult for the police to move things along to the prosecutor and from the prosecutor to the court. And so the case is dead in the water. Which is pretty much what any criminal case becomes when the star witness heads off with his Blighty wound. And were you expecting the local law firms to help out for free? Just saying here that bilingual lawyers of any great competence don’t come cheap on this end of the planet.
So what do you do? Heal.
Give the man a fucking banana!
[quote=“mofangongren”]
And then you skedaddled over to the UK, which makes it a bit difficult for the police to move things along to the prosecutor and from the prosecutor to the court. And so the case is dead in the water. Which is pretty much what any criminal case becomes when the star witness heads off with his Blighty wound. quote]
But why?
No it doesn’t. Like I said in the UK, with such serious charges the police can go ahead even AGAINST the victims consent.
Oh, and the contact at the embassy said at the time they would charge them with attempted murder, and that it would probably go ahead even in my absence.
And like I said, while the plucky brits from the consulate were all very helpful and generous as was another foreign teacher, the police didn’t respond to any communication after the formal showing at the foreign teacher’s house, and no one had the remotest clue as to what I would live on for the 2 years it would take to go to trial.
The rules are quite clearly set in Taiwan – if your attacker were only a much-reviled politician like opposition figure Elmer Fung, then the prosecutors would go forward with pretty much any loony case no matter whether you were in the country or not, no matter what evidence existed or not. But because you scampered off and your attackers are nobodies, your case will be treated as the low-priority matter that you and they (now) evidently feel it is. Or else you would return and provide testimony.
How much is some justice worth to you? Apparently not enough to buy an airline ticket to come back and help prosecute your attackers, and certainly not enough to spend a couple of quid to hire legal counsel to keep the case moving.
My simple recommendation? Heal up. Take care of yourself. Spend your saved airline-ticket or lawyer money and spend it on beer. Unless you did that already, in which case you have spent it wisely.
[quote=“mofangongren”]How much is some justice worth to you? Apparently not enough to buy an airline ticket to come back and help prosecute your attackers, and certainly not enough to spend a couple of quid to hire legal counsel to keep the case moving.
My simple recommendation? Heal up. Take care of yourself. Spend your saved airline-ticket or lawyer money and spend it on beer. Unless you did that already, in which case you have spent it wisely.[/quote]
How much is justice worth to someone who cannot afford to purchase it? What is this nonsense about justice having to be bought or earned? If justice relied on the people deserving it having to make such an effort that, whether or not justice eventually comes, they suffer far more for it than they otherwise would, then yeah, indeed, what is it worth? Fuck all, that’s what. Of course he’s not going to just buy an airline ticket and come to Taiwan to spend endless time, effort, and money on something that might not even have a (positive) result. That’s not saved money, that’s trying to get your shit back together and move on. But it would be nice if these thugs were punished for their actions? It’s not going to be the last one they beat into a hospital.
[quote=“mofangongren”]
How much is some justice worth to you? Apparently not enough to buy an airline ticket to come back and help prosecute your attackers, and certainly not enough to spend a couple of quid to hire legal counsel to keep the case moving.
My simple recommendation? Heal up. Take care of yourself. Spend your saved airline-ticket or lawyer money and spend it on beer. Unless you did that already, in which case you have spent it wisely.[/quote]
Where would I get the money for an airline ticket? I went to Tawian because I had been out of work for several months, since i finished my PhD.
It was 50k NTD for a retainer - about £900. Again, where would I get this?
so yeh, I pretty much don’t believe in justice and never have - which is why my first question to the embassy was can they pay my surgery costs - i didn’t even involve them, the foreign teacher who helped me did. Even if they were criminally prosecuted I don’t see how I would have got a penny out of them as they’d have been in jail for life and unable to earn for that amount of time.
So like the man who got the banana - does anyone have any decent advice?
right now, I’m thinking of kicking up as much of a fucking stink as I can for anyone who will pay me or listen - probably my local rag, lonely planet and the rough guide, student rags, maybe even a national paper.
Any tips on who to piss and moan to about my embassy?
[quote=“steveknlp2”]Recently, I went to teach english in Taiwan (in Jhubei with Joy school), having never done this anywhere before, and having managed to save up some funds, being a graduate with little chance of a good job here in the UK.
Within 4 weeks of being there, I was assaulted on a Saturday night aftre work by 4-5 males, in Hsinchu (Xinzhu) city, both inside and outside the, now I realise, ‘notorious’ (at least on here, it seems) ‘Flying Pig’ pub.
[/quote]
This is weird, I thought UK was the over-populated, knife-crime central not Taiwan.
Thanks for the advise to avoid this kind of bars. I went there a couple of times when just arriving in Taiwan.
Now I got one reason more why I don’t go to those smoke stinking shitholes anymore to “have fun”.
The whole street over there has bad bars. The only nice place is RT Bakery across the street. 
I’m working in Xinzhu since 3 years and never had any trouble with the locals (except with their driving).
If you want to make friends there are better places, such as hiking clubs, photography clubs, Forumosa, etc.
If you really want to go out, have a weekend in Taichung or Taipei (one hour in each direction), it has much better places to “hang out”, and don’t go alone! Try to find someone on tw.match.yahoo.com or something.
Otherwise I think you should just suck up the experience you got, I hope you don’t have any scars that remain!
You say you made a PhD and then came here to teach English?! What kind of PhD did you make that you can’t find a job?
There’s a Science Park in Xinzhu if you look for another job. They constantly look for PhD’s.
You could try TVBS, but you need a video.
Sorry if this all sounds a bit harsh but I hope you can find some advise in it.
Unfortunately I have about 7 fucking massive scars all over my head and an 8 inch one on my arm where the pin ws put in.
My Phd was in history so no luck there.
What is TVBS?
[quote=“steveknlp2”]
Why do you think I didnt thank anyone?[/quote]
This is really a surprising comment considering I’m actually on your side of this. I don’t know if you thanked anyone and I don’t think it matters either way. It really doesn’t seem necessary, given all that you’ve been through. I really don’t think your thankfulness, or perceived lack thereof has any bearing on your situation and I really don’t believe people should need copious expressions of gratitude just for doing what civilized people ought to in a situation like this.
Just judging by your post, you’ve been through a hell of a lot. I really hope things will get better for you and I agree, these punks should have been prosecuted even in your absence. The state has an interest in seeing these punks do time. Failure to do so
gives carte blanche to thugs to injure and maim foreign residents, knowing there’s a good chance they’ll have to leave the country and, thus be unable to prosecute.
[quote=“steveknlp2”]Unfortunately I have about 7 fucking massive scars all over my head and an 8 inch one on my arm where the pin ws put in.
My Phd was in history so no luck there.
What is TVBS?[/quote]
Sounds like you got emergency room style surgery. Sorry to hear that.
TVBS = Like the Daily Mirror in the UK but on TV. Its a “news” channel.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TVBS
You are wrong that a PhD in history has no luck. a PhD is still a PhD! It means you are a higher being with education of some sort. Just visit one of those companies and say that you are trying to focus on sales now and try to gain international experience in Taiwan. Should do the trick. Don’t tell them too much about your English teaching.
That is, if you still want to stay in Taiwan. If you want to go home I think you should be able to afford it with a few more weeks of teaching.
well I was offered a job at one of the universities in hsichu, at 1000 NT an hour. But it was only for 5 hours a week and not to start til september 15.
then of course theres losing my work permit and visa, not being able to change my flight, and having no more money left to live on. without the visa i cant take the job and so.
plus theres the fact im still pretty fucked 6 weeks on and wont be able to use my hands properly for several months.
well at least some people are supportive i guess.
[quote=“Toasty”] Failure to do so
gives carte blanche to thugs to injure and maim foreign residents, knowing there’s a good chance they’ll have to leave the country and, thus be unable to prosecute.[/quote]
If for no other reason, not that there aren’t other glaring ones, I’m really surprised to see so much nonchalance to what has happened here. That’s really pretty damn scary.
I’m the LP writer for Taiwan and you have my ear. Not sure what I can do for you though. I took the Pig out of the last edition because of a previous attack and gave a clear warning that not all drinking establishments in Hsinchu are friendly to strangers.
I’m the LP writer for Taiwan and you have my ear. Not sure what I can do for you though. I took the Pig out of the last edition because of a previous attack and gave a clear warning that not all drinking establishments in Hsinchu (Xinzhu) are friendly to strangers.[/quote]
It was in the copy I had, that’s why I went there!!
Maybe you could point out that, rather than simply being ‘unfriendly’ to strangers, they may in fact experience Irish paramilitary style punishment beatings for such offences as talking to local women, wearing glasses, or being by themselves.
I’m the LP writer for Taiwan and you have my ear. Not sure what I can do for you though. I took the Pig out of the last edition because of a previous attack and gave a clear warning that not all drinking establishments in Hsinchu (Xinzhu) (Xinzhu) are friendly to strangers.[/quote]
It was in the copy I had, that’s why I went there!!
Maybe you could point out that, rather than simply being ‘unfriendly’ to strangers, they may in fact experience Irish paramilitary style punishment beatings for such offences as talking to local women, wearing glasses, or being by themselves.[/quote]
Sorry man, but things change which is why we update. I considered writing stronger words but the thing is, people go to the Pig all the time and as I said, things change all the time. The Taiwan books have to be relevant for 3 years. If I condemn a place but praise another and that other turns out to be as bad as the former over time I have not done anyone a service. The best advise to give is ask around and that is what I tried to suggest in the latest.
If you read the warnings in the 2004 edition they are very explicit that you can get the shit kicked out of your for talking to the local women in a bar.
The edition you have states:
The latest edition states:
Not sure how much more clear we can be.
I certainly dont remember that in my issue, though In not sure which issue I had as I gave it away.
I mean I suppose that’s the case anywhere, which is why I went to a place that didn’t look rough at all, has about a 30-40 per cent rate of foreigners, and talked only to a girl who didn’t appear to be with any group, and was in fact a student.
You didn’t mention the punishment style beating though. I got jumped on in my home town by the quite literally, the proverbial 20 people you mention when I was about 17 … and only chipped a couple of teeth.
Maybe you could throw in the use of baseball bats, machetes, and even guns, as cited on here. Spruce it up a bit. Maybe you could have a whole section on the levels of beating expected in each bar. Don’t forget the brain damaged Swede or the castrated english teacher while you’re at it!
[quote=“steveknlp2”]I certainly dont remember that in my issue, though In not sure which issue I had as I gave it away.
I mean I suppose that’s the case anywhere, which is why I went to a place that didn’t look rough at all, has about a 30-40 per cent rate of foreigners, and talked only to a girl who didn’t appear to be with any group, and was in fact a student.[/quote]
I feel for you. You did nothing wrong and suffered a severe beating because you were in the wrong place at the wrogn time. I am just pointing out that as far as the guidebooks go, we are aware this is a problem in Taiwan and address it honestly.
If you have any suggestions how to make this point even clearer, I am all ears.
see above
How about something like:
Flying Pig
Punishment beating rating - 7