Cash-strapped Foreign Office puts Bangkok embassy up for sale

[XJPSX]

Getting their cash out of Thailand. Smart move I say. 

[nev]

These embassy's will be sorely missed!, All moving to high rise buildings where the the lifts are packed to the rafters and the lines to get served are a mile long and very minimal seating.

[Stocky]

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

The sales price is equivalent to one-third of its the Foreign Office’s annual budget of 1.2 billion pounds

That's a lot of Pimms.

[trubrit]

I wonder what will happen to those friendly Gurkha guys that provided security ?

[Stocky]

2 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

The only country in history to actually pay its war debts.

 

Britain civilised the World, and made extreme sacrifices in the process of protecting it last century, while others sat back and profited then took the credit.

 

Britain is still the measure of what a civilised country should be, you only have to look at Thailand to see they copy Britain to try to prove their legitimacy. The military uniforms, the judiciary, etc. All trying to emulate Britain even now that the Empire is long gone. 

 

But the Empire does remain, and will forever as a force for good against evil, even if evil ends up winning in the end. 

Much truth in what you say, but that is then and this now, it's a threadbare country living beyond its means.

[cmsally]

Sold to the Central Group, now there is a surprise !! (not)

[hottrader77]

20 minutes ago, XJPSX said:

Getting their cash out of Thailand. Smart move I say. 

yes timed it right before the thai property crash ha

[Chris Lawrence]

16 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Bunch of cheap Charlie's. Would suit them.

[shackleton]

Well it proberly had to come most of the normal embassy work replacing passports  visas ect out sourced  to Trendy Buiding 

you would have thought with the UK pulling out of the European Union

we would be promoting British interests trade wise to the wider world

This looks more like we are downsizing in Thailand and looking else where 

India for one for trade and investment 

still not happy with the British government providing Foreign aid to a country that puts rockets into space and has a Nuclear policy 

while we have our own people sleeping in the streets ect 

[Chris Lawrence]

13 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

The only country in history to actually pay its war debts.

 

Britain civilised the World, and made extreme sacrifices in the process of protecting it last century, while others sat back and profited then took the credit.

 

Britain is still the measure of what a civilised country should be, you only have to look at Thailand to see they copy Britain to try to prove their legitimacy. The military uniforms, the judiciary, etc. All trying to emulate Britain even now that the Empire is long gone. 

 

But the Empire does remain, and will forever as a force for good against evil, even if evil ends up winning in the end. 

The Aboriginal people in Australia would have a different view as well as the many slaves that were traded or the Tea clippers with their trading of opium. Britain may have left legacies but they also destroyed a lot in the name of Queen and country.

 

But you are right Thailand is on a similar path.

[AhFarangJa]

17 hours ago, Stocky said:

Indeed, seeing as most of the embassy function has been outsourced it's hard to understand what on earth they do all day!

Here is a clue......

[Chris Lawrence]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

UK's Bangkok embassy sold by Foreign Office for £420m

 

The Foreign Office has sold its British embassy in Bangkok for £420m, the biggest property sale in its history.

 

Money raised will be used to renovate other embassies around the world.

 

British diplomats in Thailand's capital city will move to a modern tower block in 2019, that has been leased for the next 15 years.

 

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42886466

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2018-02-01

This deal was done a while ago.

[hottrader77]

6 minutes ago, shackleton said:

Well it proberly had to come most of the normal embassy work replacing passports  visas ect out sourced  to Trendy Buiding 

you would have thought with the UK pulling out of the European Union

we would be promoting British interests trade wise to the wider world

This looks more like we are downsizing in Thailand and looking else where 

India for one for trade and investment 

still not happy with the British government providing Foreign aid to a country that puts rockets into space and has a Nuclear policy 

while we have our own people sleeping in the streets ect 

Yes true but thats why i am leaving britain because the put others before their own people, ,pratts they are 

[4evermaat]

This deal was done a while ago.

Yes, i thought they already sold off part of the embassy grounds, part of which which was alreadt converted into a hiso mall. Comments?

Sent from my ASUS_Z010D using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[SunsetT]

18 hours ago, Chris Lawrence said:

How about we all throw in a few bob and put an offer on the table?

 

I'll post the bank details latter. My suggesting of a investment vehicle, "Pretty Vacant Ltd", in recognition to the good work the Sex Pistols did in promoting the Queen.

What about a 'gofundme' page?

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, Stocky said:

Indeed, seeing as most of the embassy function has been outsourced it's hard to understand what on earth they do all day!

Embassies are more about promoting business than serving citizens abroad. If anything, citizens are only an annoying irrelevance that have to be given lip service.

 

Whatever, is there anyone with half a brain cell left in the British government? This sale earned a pittance, in modern terms ( they FORGOT about a couple of BILLION in the navy estimates ), and only reinforces the impression that ( no longer great ) Britain's rulers are bereft of money, influence and sense.

A once proud and powerful nation slowly and painfully being reduced to irrelevance as we watch.

The Chinese must be  as they watch the nation that once looted them dwindle into insignificance.

[The Old Bull]

17 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

I was a bit shocked going to the Italian Embassy, just an office in a tower block, UK will end up like that

Canada the same they sold out years ago. Now an office in a tower block ,still a waste of space they won't do much for you.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, 4evermaat said:

Yes, i thought they already sold off part of the embassy grounds, part of which which was alreadt converted into a hiso mall. Comments?

Sent from my ASUS_Z010D using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

They did, but kept the rest of the property.

 

Only question now is if their new quarters is in a borrowed broom cupboard in the New Zealand embassy, or if they can afford to rent a shophouse in Klong Toey.

[billd766]

18 hours ago, baboon said:

A kiosk would do the job just as well, let's be honest. They hardly need a whole 4 rooms...

 

Two would be seperate toilets for men and women, one room for the ambassador and the other for the 4 or 5 staff. UK citizens (the great unwashed hoi polloi) need not bother turning up unless they are investment bankers.

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, Stocky said:

No, just the realities of a threadbare country living beyond its means.

More like the result of throwing money into the black hole of the NHS. They could probably have saved the cost of the embassy by sacking every NHS manager, and in consequence gained a better run NHS.

[realenglish1]

17 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

I was a bit shocked going to the Italian Embassy, just an office in a tower block, UK will end up like that

Same for the Canadian Embassy Just an office in a skyscraper

[Bangkok Barry]

32 minutes ago, Chris Lawrence said:

Britain may have left legacies but they also destroyed a lot in the name of Queen and country.

Not really any different to religions, is it 

[KhaoNiaw]

2 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

The money raised will be gone, vaporized, in no time at all, to support all the professional layabouts in U.K. who have never worked in their lives and have no intention of working

Very true. The likes of Branson and his ilk who pocket billions from government contracts and outsourcing, pocketing massive bonuses while their employees' pension funds have massive deficits, and whose companies need to be bailed out to the tune of billions at the taxpayers' expense. Raking it in while providing nothing.

[kickstart]

3 hours ago, BKKBike09 said:

Most people it seems don't understand what an Embassy does. The Consular Services are a small part of the overall mix of trade representation, furtherance of bilateral relations, administration of regional aid programmes etc. However they are a very high-profile part of the mix, hence the common mistake in thinking that provision of services to British citizens in Country X is the main reason for having an embassy in that country. It is not. Thailand is a well-off country compared to most of its neighbours so there is, now, precious little need for any aid programmes, unlike back in, say, the 70s and 80s. Regional aid programmes in places like Nepal and Bangladesh used to be run out of Bangkok but I don't know if that's the case now. The reality is that the importance of Thailand, per se, to UK foreign policy is relatively low. Bangkok is still important from an intelligence perspective but that relationship/the general tenor of UK-Thai bilateral relations isn't predicated on having a large compound in central Bangkok. We're not living in the 1950's when Britain's influence in SE Asia was significant (Malaya, Burma). On a personal level I find it depressing that the Wireless Road compound is going to be sold and then doubtless transformed into another mall, following in the footsteps of the Imperial, Siam InterCon and, shortly, the Dusit. It also irritates me that more and more consular services are being outsourced or, even more inconveniently for expat residents, being brought back to the UK. But that's FCO / UKGOV policy, not the folk in Bangkok making the decisions.

A good post ,in a past life I was working here in Thailand, and I was entitled to have access to to embassy funds for worthwhile grass root projects here in Thailand ,I never took advantage of the funds ,I know people who did .

Ider was find a project put in a proposal if it was excepted any equipment needed would have come from the UK,and UK companies ,so it was not ,a taxpayer foots the bill thing, but helping the British economy.

If anyone takes over the building they will be a bit naffed, all the electric plugs are UK 3 pin ones, a lot of adapters will be needed.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

17 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 

Wireless is some top  shelf real estate!

 

I'm sorry to see this happen..

 

Smart move. Selling at the top of real estate bubble and reinvesting in better opportunities elsewhere.

[thaiguzzi]

6 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

.....is dead right! I will never forget being treated like dirt by our embassy/consulate in Mexico City many years ago when alone and in genuine dire straits after losing all my money through being pick-pocketed on the metro. Even though I could prove that  I was on my way, as a 32 yr old mature student, for a an exchange year of study at UC Santa Barbara, no help was given until a reverse charge call was made to someone to confirm that they would send funds to repay whatever they lent me. Then I was only given just enough for a room in the Red light district until the funds arrived 2 days later. I'll never forget their response when I asked 'What about food?' and a little more cash was begrudgingly handed over: "That should be enough to buy a couple of tacos"!

 

............B a s t a r d s !!!

Red Light district for 2 days? Any good?

[jinners]

19 hours ago, plachon said:

past hope and glory mythology

which mythology exactly? I'm a Brexiteer as you obviously are not. But your sneering and contempt for Britain should at least be explained. 

[alkazared]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-embassy-bangkok-moves-to-a-new-home-for-the-21st-century

[Just Weird]

18 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

I believe the land was a gift to the British government and it's frowned upon to sell such gifts.

You believe wrong.

[Jonmarleesco]

Funny. Their strapped-cash status has never seemed to stop new ambassadors doing up their digs. And one wonders how they can be that strapped for cash, given how much they charge for services.

 

But if May decides the DID is overfunded - something its predilection for supporting the most outlandish projects that taxpayer-funded aid money can find would suggest is the case - then perhaps she should slash the DID budget and redirect it to the FO.