Sweden's top diplomat in Hong Kong insults bar staff

[webfact]

Sweden's top diplomat in Hong Kong insults bar staff

HONG KONG: -- Sweden’s top diplomat in Hong Kong, a 19-year veteran in foreign affairs, has apologised for verbally abusing staff at the exclusive Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Central during a heated argument over a table.

Jorgen Halldin, Sweden’s consul general in Hong Kong and Macau since September 2011, confirmed the incident last night.

“You are correctly informed that I got upset at my most recent visit to the FCC, for which I am very sorry,” he told the South China Morning Post. “There is never an excuse for being upset, and I regret this deeply. I have the highest regard for the FCC, of which I have been a member for about a year, and this was a highly unfortunate incident.”

The unruly episode last month has prompted the club to send a memo to members this week to remind them that antics that were acceptable “three or four decades ago” will no longer be tolerated.

The club is preparing new policies that will “stamp out behaviour that crosses the line”.

Halldin lost his temper after he turned up at the club on Lower Albert Road with a group of 12 people, according to several sources at the club.

He demanded a table immediately for all of his guests although it is club policy that tables in the main bar area accommodate no more than eight people.

Witnesses said the career diplomat shouted at staff and hurled insults in a fit of anger before tearing up his membership card and marching out of the club.

In a memo to members this week, FCC president Jitendra Joshi described a recent incident where a man, which the club did not identify, threw a tantrum because he could not get a table.

“He insulted staff during a loud tirade, and cut up his membership card in disgust. To which all we can say is: good riddance,” Joshi wrote.

Asked by the South China Morning Post if the man was still a member, Joshi said: “If you cut up your card, you’re declaring you don’t want to be part of the club so I don’t know how much clearer you can make that.”

In recent months, Joshi said, the club had drafted changes to its policies on the duties and responsibilities of members. “It’s a housekeeping exercise but we’re taking the opportunity to look at one or two areas that could do with updating,” Joshi said.

One new rule will allow the club to temporarily ban members who misbehave for up to 14 days, pending a full hearing. Before, a member could only be suspended or expelled after a lengthy process. “It was more of a blunt instrument, now we’re just refining it,” he said. “In the vast majority of cases, everyone is extremely well-behaved and we have no problem with 99 per cent of our members.”

Source: South China Morning Post
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1729512/swedens-top-diplomat-hong-kong-verbally-abused-bar-staff

Source: http://scandasia.com/swedens-top-diplomat-in-hong-kong-insults-bar-staff/

-- ScandAsia 2015-03-05[/b]

[Cuchulainn]

What a prat.

[Chicog]

Unbelievable behaviour for a diplomat.

I'd be surprised if he isn't on the next plane home once that gets back to Stockholm.

[Myran]

Hardly a man us Swedes want representing us abroad. Let's hope actions are taken against him.

[JingerBen]

Aberrant behaviour for a diplomat.

Aberrant behaviour for a Swede.

Most of the ones I've known have been well-mannered.

That said, we all have our off days.

[h90]

So he came with 12 people. And they let only sit 8 on the table because it is their policy...

Well no reason to insult the bar staff, but indeed a reason to tear the membership card.

[Grouse]

Bloody Swedes! Damn nuisance wherever they go in the world. Why can't they behave themselves like us British

[JockPieandBeans]

The diplomatic staff that I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. Their heads were so far up their own @rse I'm surprised that they could insult anybody.

[transam]

Did I read a 19 year old diplomat......?????

Totally understands stuff at 19.........

Come on Swedes............get your act together eh.............

[JockPieandBeans]

Did I read a 19 year old diplomat......?????

Totally understands stuff at 19.........

Come on Swedes............get your act together eh.............

19 year vet of Diplomatic Services, not 19 years old.

Spec shop for you Mr Trans.

[transam]

Did I read a 19 year old diplomat......?????

Totally understands stuff at 19.........

Come on Swedes............get your act together eh.............

19 year vet of Diplomatic Services, not 19 years old.

Spec shop for you Mr Trans.

ooooooooooops..... .........

[Rob8891]

And this is news because.....????

[JetsetBkk]

And this is news because.....????

...it's in the World News forum, happened in Asia and we're in Asia.

[Bwanatickey]

Fancy that , a Swede in Communist China acts like a Hi So Asian, he was so way into the local culture,it was time to send him home.

The staff obviously had been using club rules to evict some of his quests.

[Lissos]

Sounds like he had one of those - "Don't you know who I am?" diva moments.

However, I don't agree with his following comment :

“There is never an excuse for being upset

Of course there is.

[glasswort]

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So he came with 12 people. And they let only sit 8 on the table because it is their policy...

Well no reason to insult the bar staff, but indeed a reason to tear the membership card.

"but indeed a reason to tear the membership card". Why?

[godden]

What a turnip.

[klauskunkel]

...but, but, but it's all just a misunderstanding...damn, this line only works in Thailand...

[Scott]

He has my sympathyies -- to some extent. I lived in HK for a number of years and it is one of the most crowded places on Earth. I believe that at one point Monkok District was the most crowded place, but I don't know if it still is. It is also a very noisy city and the noise level in restaurants can reach decibel levels that are considered dangerous for your hearing.

For people coming from less hectic and quieter places, the cost pushing, shoving and noise can get to a person.

I remember a western lady in one of the more fashionable areas one day who just lost the plot and started swinging her purse wildly and yelling. She had to be put in a mental ward. Things like that happened on more than one occasion.

I don't know if any of that played into his situation, but it can be a rather intimidating city at times.

[sunshine51]

Hardly a man us Swedes want representing us abroad. Let's hope actions are taken against him.

I have been a Correspondent member of the FCC since 1986; currently a Lifetime

Correspondent member in absentia (lifetime dues fully paid) and have seen some

strange happenings at the main bar, where this happened, over the years. No use

bringing upany incidents here however the guilty parties were usually handed a two

week suspension from the club for an initial offense. A second incident could have

the guilty person explaining to the board of club governors why they acted in the

manner they did and the person could easily get a 6 month suspension. If it

happened a third time then the person was 86'd for life...ie...kicked outta the club

forever...once tossed onto Lower Albert Road...you don't ever get back in.

Back when cellphones first entered the scene in HK and became popular the FCC

banned usage of them insde the club, mainly due to their loud annoying basic

ringtones. Failure to turn off ones handphone and if it rang...you received a two

day suspension.

I know this from personal experience...declaring I forgot to turn the damn thing

off was not an acceptable excuse...especially when the club President & I were

having a chat about an upcoming event the club was hosting at the time my phone

rang.

At least he gave me permission to finish me pint....

[sunshine51]

@ Scott...

"I believe that at one point Monkok District was the most crowded place"

It was THE most crowded place on this planet Scott. Especially a certain

place in Mong Kok where the "Cage Men" lived. How the people who

conduct surveys came up with the figure of 20 people per square meter

was beyond me however after making a documentary about the most

crowded place on the planet I can see why & how Mong Kok received

the moniker...kinda akin to time share that's how.

[onionluke]

[Rod Wallop]

Having done business with dozens of diplomats over the years I am not surprised at this sort of behavior.

[Lupatria]

Unbelievable behaviour for a diplomat.

I'd be surprised if he isn't on the next plane home once that gets back to Stockholm.

It won't happen. Chances are he is not very welcomed there either...

[phrodan]

He has my sympathyies -- to some extent. I lived in HK for a number of years and it is one of the most crowded places on Earth. I believe that at one point Monkok District was the most crowded place, but I don't know if it still is. It is also a very noisy city and the noise level in restaurants can reach decibel levels that are considered dangerous for your hearing.

For people coming from less hectic and quieter places, the cost pushing, shoving and noise can get to a person.

I remember a western lady in one of the more fashionable areas one day who just lost the plot and started swinging her purse wildly and yelling. She had to be put in a mental ward. Things like that happened on more than one occasion.

I don't know if any of that played into his situation, but it can be a rather intimidating city at times.

I agree. A few of the comments on this thread are from people who have never stepped foot into Hong Kong in their entire lives, but believe that they are so all-knowing and all-wise, they are qualified to comment.

When I don't know what I'm talking about, I say nothing. A unique concept for many.

I had dinner last night with a friend who's recently returned to working in HK. The daily war stories were both hilarious and typical over a good meal and decent beer. When you live it, when you are there, it's not funny.

The friction level in HK has gone through the roof in recent years, as if it wasn't bad enough before. It's at the point that if you find an all too rare oasis of calm, you wouldn't dare even tell your best pal about it. You hold it even more precious that your first born.

The city can be one continuous stream of niggles, followed by out-and-out ignorance. The arrival of the mainland Chinese has raised the rudeness level dramatically. The HK'ers detest them. They also detest the influx of refugees that have taken to having impromptu demonstrations at busy passenger junctions. There's a lot to hate in HK - but also a lot to love too, if you give the island a chance.

So, what happened here? the guy has had a long and stressful day - he's arranged to take a party for a meal - and I'm prepared to lay short-odds that the FCC wasn't crowded when he arrived - a detail so far missing.

In my scenario, it will have taken the staff ten seconds to pull the tables together to accommodate twelve. But no -

"Sorry, the rules say no."

"There's no one else here."

"Don't care, read the rules."

"We'll be gone before it gets busy."

"Don't care, we have rules."

Boom.

I know for a fact that there will be people reading this that know the island and nodding. And you'll note that the manager didn't say he couldn't accommodate twelve, or that the restaurant was too busy. He was too busy plotting a new set of rules.

[sunshine51]

^^^ Phrodan....Just curious...how long did you live in Hong Kong?

[sunshine51]

Just a snippet from the SCMP on the rant at the FCC...

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1729512/swedens-top-diplomat-hong-kong-verbally-abused-bar-staff

[Asiantravel]

I think this erm.......top diplomat...... needs to brush up his diplomacy and negotiating skills?
For example why didn't he suggest one table for 8 people and an adjoining table for another 4 or am I missing something?

[phrodan]

^^^ Phrodan....Just curious...how long did you live in Hong Kong?

Between the mainland and HK, nine years.

[sunshine51]

^^^ Phrodan....Just curious...how long did you live in Hong Kong?

Between the mainland and HK, nine years.

Great! For me...Between BKK & HK 83-85. HK full on late 85-98.

I miss the place somewhat these days, mainly that everything "worked".

Met a guy once who moved to HK & after he spent a month he freaked

out cause of HK being HK and returned home...he worked for HSBC.

I must admit HK could be "trying" at times but overall it was a great

place. These days though....nah....OK to visit but to reside....that's

a different story.

Thanks for the imput...always nice to have anothers take on a place

I once lived. Cheers!