Cash-strapped Foreign Office puts Bangkok embassy up for sale

[lvr181]

As those before it, another 'once mighty empire' sadly collapses.

 

Nothing changes - those countries who may consider themselves as "mighty" today will also, one day, bite the dust. 

[BKKBike09]

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.

[Old Croc]

A foreign embassy in this day and age, not only doesn't need, but is obscenely over the top, in having palatial buildings set in expansive gardens in the middle of a growing metropolis.

Embassy business can be more efficiently conducted from secure space in a modern office building or on-line.

Far too many Brits still live with dreams of a glorious past when their little country invaded and colonized most of the world using ships and guns that were the then technological equivalent of nuclear weapons.

Colonial edifices, such as this, need to be disposed of so Brits can begin to understand where they actually fit in the modern world.

[overherebc]

14 hours ago, Stocky said:

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

You could pin that label on many countries today.

[phantomfiddler]

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

[Farang99]

15 hours ago, plachon said:

Queen Victoria will be turning on her plinth, as well as her grave, when she learns of this news. I guess the Embassy will be operating out of a 4 room condo unit in future, as everything is outsourced and austerity post-Brexit Little Britain bites to the bone of its past hope and glory mythology.  

As all their consular work (passports, visas etc.) is done from the Trendy building they are just keeping up with the times.

[wvavin]

It is a good idea to dump this piece of land for good. 

[geisha]

We all complain that our governments spend too much on unnecessary things. So yes, I think all these embassies the world over can be toned down to a 4 room apartment , what difference does it make. 

[MorristheRunt]

Say's everything about the present state of the UK, a once mighty nation, now a weak, insignificant island.

[oldlakey]

16 hours ago, plachon said:

Queen Victoria will be turning on her plinth, as well as her grave, when she learns of this news. I guess the Embassy will be operating out of a 4 room condo unit in future, as everything is outsourced and austerity post-Brexit Little Britain bites to the bone of its past hope and glory mythology.  

Settle down now for years we stuck it up ya, all your grizzling wont change any of it

You sound so bitter my man, its history just let it go

[delh]

What's this 'effect of brexit' tosh?

You, nor any one of the so called experts have any idea how it will pan out.

 

Back on topic, £420 million, huge amount  of money. Take it if offered, reinvest.

[bert bloggs]

17 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Given the quality of service offered, or should I say, not offered, by the Embassy, many wont miss it.

They offered a service? well i never ,

[delh]

16 hours ago, plachon said:

Queen Victoria will be turning on her plinth, as well as her grave, when she learns of this news. I guess the Embassy will be operating out of a 4 room condo unit in future, as everything is outsourced and austerity post-Brexit Little Britain bites to the bone of its past hope and glory mythology.  

 

38 minutes ago, overherebc said:

You could pin that label on many countries today.

Have a look at www.national debt clocks.org

Startling.

 

[overherebc]

12 minutes ago, MorristheRunt said:

Say's everything about the present state of the UK, a once mighty nation, now a weak, insignificant island.

It might be rubbish but by jingo its British rubbish.?

[steve187]

13 minutes ago, MorristheRunt said:

Say's everything about the present state of the UK, a once mighty nation, now a weak, insignificant island.

a bit like the USA moving to an industrial site in London.

[lvr181]

16 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The Foreign Office has long complained that its budget is being cut to the bone at a time when the parallel budget of the Department for International Development is booming.

The office of the old colonial masters is facing "competition" from the new upstart? 

 

Oh dear, how sad, too bad, never mind.

[adammike]

1 hour ago, richards said:

Great Britain was the last empire and its glory was no myth. The British Empire was a formidable force forged on blood sweat and tears of the working man. But those days are long gone. We won the war but lost the fight then post war they gave it all away and destroyed it.  Bugger!

Won the war but lost the peace.maybe because you never stopped fighting the war, in your heads at least.

[lvr181]

1 hour ago, kingstonkid said:

Most embassies are going to go the rent a floor route.  In the Kong run it is cheaper and easier to maintain.  

It will also mean less staff therefore not as many staff.

"It will also mean less staff therefore not as many staff."

 

I bet you know this one as well - "If it rains it will be wet"?  

[Scott]

Posts containing homophobic slurs have been removed.   Continue and face a suspension.  

[LALes]

Its been a bad week for Bangkokians.  First, we lose Chuvit Garden on Soi 10 and now this.

In another decade you'll have to go to a movie to see nature and greenery, ala Soylent Green.

More 30 story monsters on the way.

[Wullie Mercer]

Cash strapped Britian, but still able to donate hand outs to foreign countries and not look after it own.

[Jonnapat]

16 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

It already has done if you want a new passport 

[Bangkok Barry]

Reflects how little Thailand means to the world. It's a cultural, social and economic backwater of little or no importance to the UK or anywhere else. Deserves no more than a small suite of offices.

[David in the north]

17 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Given the quality of service offered, or should I say, not offered, by the Embassy, many wont miss it.

Agreed. For sure, not one single baht will be spent on it's citizens

[Bangkok Barry]

11 minutes ago, LALes said:

Its been a bad week for Bangkokians.  First, we lose Chuvit Garden on Soi 10 and now this.

In another decade you'll have to go to a movie to see nature and greenery, ala Soylent Green.

More 30 story monsters on the way.

Now there's a film that not many know of 

[yougivemebaby]

16 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

Did they not satisfy your needs?

[Stoker58]

Lack of resources can not account for the generally indifferent or hostile attitude I have encountered when dealing with the staff of this embassy. Last time I went there my wife was collecting her new passport and I had to wait outside in the rain while only she was allowed inside. 

  Good riddance to them.

[alien365]

If it is turned in to a mall, at least there should be free parking here at last!

[klauskunkel]

In the spirit of rehabilitating convicts, similar to Thailand's efforts of giving military jobs to criminal gun makers, the Foreign Office is now considering outsourcing its consular services to convicted call-center gangs and boiler room operators, since they already possess the skills necessary, the training would be minimal and the brownie points earned by endorsing PM Prayut's initiative may help to find low-rent government housing.

[webfact]

British Embassy property sold for 420m pounds

By The Nation

 

File photo: British embassy in Bangkok.

 

The British Foreign Office has sold its embassy in Bangkok for 420 million pounds (Bt18.7 billion), according to UK media reports.
 

The Guardian quoted the British Foreign Office as saying the proceeds would pay for 30 to 40 modernisation projects around the world, including refurbishing the wiring at its Paris embassy and remodelling the decor at its Washington embassy.

 

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

 

The embassy property is being sold to a joint venture consortium of Hongkong Land, a member of the Jardine Matheson Group, and Central Group.

 

The British diplomatic corps will move to a new embassy based in the AIA Sathorn Tower in the central business district.

 

The colonial-era embassy was built in 1922 on a 3.5-hectare site then on the outskirts of Bangkok. The area is now prime real estate.

 

The villa is housed in a compound that features a large garden and is considered one of the prime properties in the Wireless Road area.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/business/30337678

 

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