Fucking Police

Luang Prabang, Laos: So far, I have made 5 in-person visits to the Police Station in Luang Prabang attempting to get a simple police report for the robbery of my camera and money so that I can make an insurance claim. Not much to ask, you'd have thought....but no, no police report has yet been granted us. WE wrote THEM two detailed reports of the events, but they have refused to give us *any* documents--despite repeated asking.

I went on Monday, and they told me to come back today; I went today at 11.30am, the man working in the office said they were 'not working' till 2pm, so I went back at 2pm, but no one was awake, so I went back at 2.30 and was told to come back at 3.15, when we had to wait 45 minutes while they watched an old American film and a football game, as we waited for the particular officer we'd previously talked with to arrive. When he arrived he did say that they were investigating the case, which was something, but told us although he might be able to help us with the camera, not with the stolen money, and his boss would have to sign the report or we couldn't use it, and his boss wouldn't be there until 10am tomorrow so we would have to come back AGAIN at that time. Of course, I doubt the boss will be there then either. It's my last day in Laos. I don't want to spend all of it, like I did today, waiting and being told to come back to talk fruitlessly with the tourist police.

I am being very patient and giving them as much benefit of doubt as possible....but this tries my patience, and Luisa, my friend who had her expensive camera and more money stolen than me, is naturally fed up. The police officers know when we're leaving town and I am concerned that they may just put off writing the report until we have gone. GGRRRRRR bureaucracy.