Back in January, when a young northeast Chinese woman became an online sensation for her furious 90-second rant at thugs stealing waiting tickets for resale in a Beijing hospital, the media and law enforcement came down hard on the scammers. But the state-run Beijing Daily reported that the illegal business has started to thrive again because the authorities let down their guard in the wake of the Chinese holiday season.
A reporter with Beijing Daily went to the Beijing Obstetric Gynecology Hospital and spoke with one of the illicit ticket resellers. He charges 300 yuan (about $45) for a ticket. Others bargain with genuine customers in full view of the security guards, who stand with blank faces and do nothing.
“It’s hopeless to wait in line by yourself,” the seller said. He claims to have done this sort of work for five years.
One couple had gotten to the hospital at dawn, but found that once the doors had opened, the tickets disappeared after just a few people. They ended up paying 300 yuan for the ticket plus the same price for “special service” provided by the reseller.
“I have no idea where all the tickets went,” said the husband. “The medical workers and ticket sellers both demand bribery now.”
