As if they'd exist in a bubble universe where the Pacific is not America's backyard, and where their economy wouldn't completely depend on the surrounding markets.This is the key
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It's pretty doable if you live outside of Lan Kwai Fong. I had a four bedroom, two bath place out by Sai Kung for I think around $1,200/month US (with a living room and Asian-style kitchen). And I knew someone just a stop or two down from the island who was paying around $800/month for a two bedroom place. (And my boyfriend at the time was in Lan Kwai Fong and was paying maybe $1,800/month for a two bedroom apartment.) Hong Kong really isn't that expensive, unless you demand luxury living in the expat districts. (Stanley, Disco Bay, Lan Kwai Fong.) At least from what I can recall.
So compared to $1,600/month for a single room, that's pretty cheap
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It's a fun idea. (Straight out of cyberpunk - which I suspect is part of why the techies are so into it.)
I'm not going to lie, the first thing I thought of when I read the article was "Huh, what a great setup for a zombie movie."
But I suspect that your points about a) there being less claustrophobic and cheaper places to live that will achieve the same thing and b) their dependance on the nations around them is probably going to kill the idea before it gets started.
It sort of sucks though that the work visa program in this country is so fubar that something this far fetched seems like a solution, but I suppose that's a whole different discussion.
Anything to prevent this from becoming the slave quarters? Given the fact that the place is run by the 1% corporations, I'm starting to see parallels to factories built right on the border with Mexico, for the cheap labor that is.
Indeed. 3 million people are in Dubai as workers, and many of them have their passports seized. Many of them don't get pay the money they have bargained for. They have no other option but to become slave workers to their Arab masters, who treat them like cattle. Particularly the Filipinos, Indians, Pakistanis, etc.
They did a great job on the marketing. The original concept - 'Dude, you wanna get really high and start a business?' - probably wouldn't have been taken as seriously.
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In Hong Kong, for less than 1,600 a month?
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So compared to $1,600/month for a single room, that's pretty cheap ( ... )
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I'm not going to lie, the first thing I thought of when I read the article was "Huh, what a great setup for a zombie movie."
But I suspect that your points about a) there being less claustrophobic and cheaper places to live that will achieve the same thing and b) their dependance on the nations around them is probably going to kill the idea before it gets started.
It sort of sucks though that the work visa program in this country is so fubar that something this far fetched seems like a solution, but I suppose that's a whole different discussion.
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BTW, it is not truly tax-free since residents and users pay rent. That is a form of taxation.
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Anything to prevent this from becoming the slave quarters? Given the fact that the place is run by the 1% corporations, I'm starting to see parallels to factories built right on the border with Mexico, for the cheap labor that is.
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