Boxed in: Life Inside the 'Coffin Cubicles' of Hong Kong – in Pictures

I don't consider myself a claustrophobic person, but damn those pictures make me break out in a cold sweat.

If the person dies, they can just lock the door and hang a sign that says "Permanently occupied"

a reply to: stosh64

We were just as guilty. I watched this documentary on Amazon or Netflix a couple of months ago. “The Sunshine Hotel” located in the Bowery in NYC until the 1990s…unbelievable this happened right here in our “World.”

It’s about an old pickle factory turned into cubicles for mostly older men on welfare, disability or SS. Mostly alcoholics and druggies, but no one ever should have to live like this…watch the trailer if you dare.



"Man’s inhumanity to Man…” and we all (including me) walk right past it.
I wish I knew the answer. And. I don't think it is education or menial jobs. AND, just for the record I am somewhat conservative...but no we have too much money for people to live in "coffins."

Sorry to rant, but it is so upsetting. Here, there or anywhere.

a reply to: Missmissie173

Thanks for sharing that, as disheartening as it was.

I didn't take it as a rant, and I agree most of us choose to ignore it. It is by no means a problem only in the far east.

From Brazil to America to eastern Europe, it is a Global problem that shouldn't be.

Thanks for your reply

It would be an absolute nightmare to live like that. I could'nt stand a night in a box like this. Especially not in the hot and humid HK climate.

To give some background, since there have been some different perspectives on Hongkong in this thread:

Hongkong was british with an 100 year contract. In 1997 it went back to China.
They now have what they call "One country, 2 systems".

HK is a world city, huge financial hub, amazingly organised public transport and all about business.
It's the city with the highest density of people per square meter.

The rents are ridiculus. New York level. And normal flats are tiny.
Hotel rooms with a double bed and just about enough space to put your baggage in, cost 120 US$. (in the city)

Even these 'cages' are about 150 US $ a month.

Good city to visit, if you bring the money.

a reply to: TrueBrit

What would their government gain from doing that?

a reply to: stosh64

Holy #ake mushrooms... Did you see the guys laying in there, playing games on their phones?

Just think, next time you are playing online multiplayer, you could be playing against one of these guys... That blows my mind for some reason.

I would be doing the same thing. Playing on my phone or reading. The things that helps me best to escape into my imagination realm. But like...they only have to sleep there, right? There is an "outside" right? Or do they just go outside into Another, much larger box with all the little boxes in it? They could at least paint the ceiling blue, with some fluffy white clouds...

I almost had an anxiety attack looking through the pics in the OP. Thats crazy it looks like they're use to it like its just how things are in HK and its just something thats just a reality of life in their world.

originally posted by: TobyFlenderson
a reply to: stosh64

When we get to a place like this, we have to know that we are on the wrong track. There is so much wealth in this world. There's no reason for people to be forced to live this way.

I'm with you, I'd move out to the country and do back-breaking labor on a farm for pennies a day before I lived like that. Simply horrible.

Hong Kong want to preserve as much of the natural wildlife habitat as possible, so they create national parks. Super-wealthy want to live in luxury condos and mansions. But even with all their money, there aren't any more places to build apartment blocks. So there's a housing shortage, evenwhile people want to trade up to larger home but can't afford to do so, and they don't want to trade down. So the whole market is jammed and the end result is overcrowding at the lowest salaries.

Norwegians have been buildings homes in the rivers for centuries - take a google streeetview tour of Trondheim. Holland are building floating homes using concrete airlocks. Malaysian islanders build their homes on top of bamboo poles.

That's insane. It's not a life.

I bet the inside of those things smell like a gym locker.....

Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Small footprint, when you die they seal your room with a few nails then fork lift you to your final resting place. The efficiency of keeping the worker bees of the hive maintained and disposable at the same time has to give this human experiment top remarks among the liberal elite. If some freedom loving idea sprouts up in society all they have to do is send out a tweet to their hives and they will swarm just to get fresh air and exercise while pushing the progressive agenda.

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Small footprint, when you die they seal your room with a few nails then fork lift you to your final resting place. The efficiency of keeping the worker bees of the hive maintained and disposable at the same time has to give this human experiment top remarks among the liberal elite. If some freedom loving idea sprouts up in society all they have to do is send out a tweet to their hives and they will swarm just to get fresh air and exercise while pushing the progressive agenda.

Seems you know # all about hong kong or the outside world......not surprisingly really.


Hong kong as some of the moxt deregulated and free markets in the world.
Pretty much everything is privatised.


This houing problem is due to the fact a country of nearly 7 million people live in a area of 2,755 km2.

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Actually, Hong Kong is the closest thing to Free Market Capitalist Utopia on the planet.

originally posted by: crazyewok

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Small footprint, when you die they seal your room with a few nails then fork lift you to your final resting place. The efficiency of keeping the worker bees of the hive maintained and disposable at the same time has to give this human experiment top remarks among the liberal elite. If some freedom loving idea sprouts up in society all they have to do is send out a tweet to their hives and they will swarm just to get fresh air and exercise while pushing the progressive agenda.

Seems you know # all about hong kong or the outside world......not surprisingly really.


Hong kong as some of the moxt deregulated and free markets in the world.
Pretty much everything is privatised.


This houing problem is due to the fact a country of nearly 7 million people live in a area of 2,755 km2.

Where is the progressive outrage in their controlled media? Where are the UN ships and plane tickets to mass migrate them across the globe (with free sports cloths and iphones) to save them from these conditions?

originally posted by: Bone75

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Actually, Hong Kong is the closest thing to Free Market Capitalist Utopia on the planet.

So is the US but plenty of progressives operate here.

originally posted by: TinfoilTP

originally posted by: Bone75

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Actually, Hong Kong is the closest thing to Free Market Capitalist Utopia on the planet.

So is the US but plenty of progressives operate here.

?????

There was some sort of pod hotel in Japan as well for those people who just pretty much need somewhere to lay their heads, probably too small for me being a 6'3" bloke but for probably a business man who just needs somewhere to sleep and they were very cheap compared to renting a proper hotel room.

Well it was obviously what will happen as population rises and demand for land increases making the price per ft/mtr stupid.

originally posted by: TinfoilTP

originally posted by: crazyewok

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Small footprint, when you die they seal your room with a few nails then fork lift you to your final resting place. The efficiency of keeping the worker bees of the hive maintained and disposable at the same time has to give this human experiment top remarks among the liberal elite. If some freedom loving idea sprouts up in society all they have to do is send out a tweet to their hives and they will swarm just to get fresh air and exercise while pushing the progressive agenda.

Seems you know # all about hong kong or the outside world......not surprisingly really.


Hong kong as some of the moxt deregulated and free markets in the world.
Pretty much everything is privatised.


This houing problem is due to the fact a country of nearly 7 million people live in a area of 2,755 km2.

Where is the progressive outrage in their controlled media? Where are the UN ships and plane tickets to mass migrate them across the globe (with free sports cloths and iphones) to save them from these conditions?

How should I know? I dont live there or speak Cantonese so I dont watch or read there media.

And lots from Hong kong do immigrate.......TO THE UK! The UK has a very large Cantonese (thats the people who live in hong kong) population.

They are very anti socialst though fearing the encroaching of main land china so I am guessing they do t have much of a progresss left.....

originally posted by: TinfoilTP

originally posted by: Bone75

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Actually, Hong Kong is the closest thing to Free Market Capitalist Utopia on the planet.

So is the US but plenty of progressives operate here.

Actually the USA has nothing on Hong Kong.

Hell the UK is above the USA now.....

a reply to: stosh64
Imagine the stink of so many bodies crowded together. I wonder what sanitation is like.

originally posted by: crazyewok

originally posted by: TinfoilTP

originally posted by: Bone75

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Witness the Liberal Utopia!

Actually, Hong Kong is the closest thing to Free Market Capitalist Utopia on the planet.

So is the US but plenty of progressives operate here.

Actually the USA has nothing on Hong Kong.

Hell the UK is above the USA now.....

No Hong Kong lays in their little coffin cubicles like good little sheeple because of the progress made from living in penned off areas with chicken wire just a decade before now. These people are livestock.