for those of you who can read chinese,
the fish section of the HKforum is a sad place (discuss.com.hk)
they regularly have people who've purchased some pretty number, without even knowing their names, and put them into their tank with everything else pretty.
that's not to say it doesn't happen here or anywhere, but combined with the population of 6 million+ and their proximity to most types of tropical fish trading, life is pretty cheap over there
that said, I've heard the equipment are also dirt cheap =)