Thaivisa interview with British Ambassador to Thailand

Thaivisa recently spoke to His Excellency Brian Davidson, the British Ambassador to Thailand.

 

Mr Davidson answered questions submitted by Thaivisa readers on a range of different subjects including the withdrawal of the income letter, mandatory health insurance and the role of embassy in Thailand. 

 

He also gave an update regarding the upcoming relocation of the embassy in Bangkok. 

 

Thanks to all those who submitted questions.

 

 

 

Like all embassy's now, they don't want to see you if they can avoid it, or for the least time as possible.

I gave up after 11 minutes; all I understood was that nothing is resolved but:

 

"we're talking to the Thai Government"

 

 

6 minutes ago, faraday said:

I gave up after 11 minutes; all I understood was that nothing is resolved but:

"we're talking to the Thai Government"

While I'd like to think there could be things going on behind the scenes, being a 'diplomat' demands you sound positive and not openly criticise anyone.

Someone once said that a good diplomat is one who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to the journey.

So nothing relevant to say that we didn't know already.

Talking to the Thai government to simplify processes and will not persuade the Thais to stop demanding pointless documentation with embassy stamps.  It will just result in the British embassy unilaterally opting out, as with the pension letters, and exposing British expats to more problems.  The Thai position that an affirmation in front of an embassy official is more than just an affirmation, i.e. the foreign government has to verify the information and take responsibility for its accuracy, is absurd.  Thai government departments are happy to accept documents from Thais that are just certified by the owner and could easily be fake.  The UK decision to cave in to that ridiculous opinion was a matter of convenience to let them stop providing a service they wanted to get out of anyway, particularly in view of their move to cramped but expensive office accommodation. 

The single largest British consular team in the world in Bangkok doesn't say much for the other ones, as the Bangkok team has always looked pretty small and relies mainly on Thai staff who have little or no knowledge of British legal issues. In contrast US consular sections have definitive limits on the work that foreign nationals can do and have far more of their own citizens working in consular sections around the world, compared to British embassies and consulates.  

off topic posts removed

52 minutes ago, faraday said:

I gave up after 11 minutes; all I understood was that nothing is resolved but:

 

"we're talking to the Thai Government"

 

 

Ditto, If its anything like our 'Brexit' balls up, I wont hold my breath. I hope the Ambassador ends up speaking to one of the Immigration idiots from Kanchanaburi or Surin, then he may get an idea about what we go through in order to support our families and spend every baht in here.

Embassies and consular offices today are mere cash cows.......ask for help and just do the maths!

 

Not a fan of video interviews but I don't suppose there is a transcript I can flick through...........

Regarding the verification of income it would have been interesting to get his opinion on why it is impossible for them (and 2 other nations) to certify  income whereas the rest are able to do so.

It would seem to be relatively easy to verify state or other structured pensions.

Of course there's "ongoing discussions".

I thought it was a good interview I didn’t know the embassy  was still there or their phased approach to move nor did I know how many expats live here or the number of U.K. tourist and I certainly had not thought about the broad range of responsibilities the Embassy got involved in. I would like to see more of these types of interviews with a regular update in what the embassy is doing working with the Thai government.

More the pity that 30 years ago you could go to the embassy for advice and someone would sit with you to inform about options etc. Now they don't want to see you and that feeling of service has disappeared completely. 

56 minutes ago, topt said:

Not a fan of video interviews but I don't suppose there is a transcript I can flick through...........

 

try open on Youtube & select 'Open transcript' (its on the 3 dots menu next to the title)

 

its too long to post here

 

 

For me there were only two things said that were of interest. His favorite Thai food is Laos sausage, and he estimates there are about 73,000 British long term residents here.

The rest was predictable political fluff.

1 hour ago, manta said:

So nothing relevant to say that we didn't know already.

Much ado about nothing.

21 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

A number of other embassies define verification as checking the documents you provide as authentic. Same as BE a year ago. Why these embassys can continue to provide the service and the BE appears to have been singled out by TI is the big question.

What evidence is there that TI has singled out the British, US & Australian embassies? The more likely reason is that those embassies have seized on the demand for "verification" to mean exactly what it says - "verify the income as true" - rather than other embassies who've stuck with "we'll believe any old tosh you tell us as verification"

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Regarding the verification of income it would have been interesting to get his opinion on why it is impossible for them (and 2 other nations) to certify  income whereas the rest are able to do so.

It would seem to be relatively easy to verify state or other structured pensions.

Of course there's "ongoing discussions".

It was because the Thai authorities expected to hold HMG's feet to the coals whenever someone was found to have been telling porkies; not to mention the increase in man hours, time spent communicating to & from UK and probs associated with GDPR. "Do yer know who I am?" doesn't work with a foreign Govt & they were quite rightly fobbed off.

2 minutes ago, evadgib said:

It was because the Thai authorities expected to hold HMG's feet to the coals whenever someone was found to have been telling porkies;

Your evidence for this fascinating thesis?

my mate was held for overstay in tough conditions for over 2 weeks before he got any visit from UK Embassy. 

 

pretty safe to say he felt left down, and somewhat scared

13 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Your evidence for this fascinating thesis?

You've just read it! 

17 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

What evidence is there that TI has singled out the British, US & Australian embassies? The more likely reason is that those embassies have seized on the demand for "verification" to mean exactly what it says - "verify the income as true" - rather than other embassies who've stuck with "we'll believe any old tosh you tell us as verification"

The ambassador stated that it was Thai immigration who insisted that verification was conducted in a way that no embassy could preform it. Clearly they didn't insist that other embassies do the same or no embassies would be providing the letter.

 

Either take the ambassador at his word or believe that he's a lying BS artist and the real reason was in preparation for downsizing the embassy. I really can't see a 3rd explanation.

15 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

... rather than other embassies who've stuck with "we'll believe any old tosh you tell us as verification"

The gross of the Embassies believe that their citizens are honest, and present genuine documents. 

 

Therefore they believe that the "good ones" should not be the dupe of the acting of a minority, that may falsify their documents. 

 

It seems it is also the opinion of Immigration. 

 

Income Letters are still welcomed. 

18 minutes ago, UKJASE said:

my mate was held for overstay in tough conditions for over 2 weeks before he got any visit from UK Embassy. 

 

pretty safe to say he felt left down, and somewhat scared

Who first informed them of his plight and how long did they (informant) wait until doing so?

Who do you think is supposed to do it and how long does international convention allow...?

 

(and whose fault was the overstay?)

This ambassador needs to ask the Thai govt. to reciprocate, visa-wise and spousal benefits, as we give the Thai spouses in the UK. Are they blind?

15 minutes ago, evadgib said:

It was because the Thai authorities expected to hold HMG's feet to the coals whenever someone was found to have been telling porkies; not to mention the increase in man hours, time spent communicating to & from UK and probs associated with GDPR. "Do yer know who I am?" doesn't work with a foreign Govt & they were quite rightly fobbed off.

 Consular officials had privately made clear that the consulate found these letters a burden. Fortuitously the Thai government provided them with a convenient  out. It is not believable that the British government feared being sued by Thailand over incorrect information self certified by a pensioner with a consular officer as witness.  It has always been very clear that making a false affidavit at a consulate was a criminal offence that could be prosecuted in the UK which was considered a sufficient sanction in the past.  The British embassy should have just continued providing the letters on the original basis until the Thai government decided not to accept them any more, just as most other embassies seem to have done.

 

It is obvious that the embassy wants to close down whatever consular service it still has.  Legalisation of documents is now restricted to a handful of specific cases and nothing else will be considered.  I am sure they are working hard to get rid of the affirmation of freedom to marry and won't care, if their solution means that Brits can no longer get married in the Kingdom. The embassy's main function is  now trying to get weapons deals.  It claims to be a trade post but there are hardly any other British businesses that can get meaningful help from the embassy.  Most are capable of finding out who they need to do business with and getting in touch with them by themselves.  

Retirement Visas are meseed up due to UK

 

They can check proof of income.

Just check tax and bank statments 

 

Ask the subject to provide their method of income  then the ebmassy can check

 

Very  easy

 

Embassy won't  help us 

 

Usless

 

 

Who cares if they gharentee3 prokf of income  

 

Whats the worst thag can happen  if they make a mistake

No Sir..

Alohhoho

3 hours ago, manta said:

So nothing relevant to say that we didn't know already.

He likes a bit of Thai Spicy Sausage?