Contacting a fellow Brit.

[Gandtee]

A few weeks ago I contacted a Pattaya ex Consular representative asking advice of a friend who has disappeared off the radar. I was concerned that he may have died. The ex official said "I have passed this on to the British Consul. You should receive an answer quickly, if not already." I have not received one word from the British Consular section. How do I find out if my friend is still with us or has popped off? You must have records of British subjects in Thailand.

 

[Andy from Kent]

 

I wouldn't expect any sort of quick answer.

 

You'll be lucky to get an answer at all.

[beano2274]

Look on Facebook, or maybe add his name and people might have some information

[CharlieH]

How to contact British Embassy Consular Team

 

If you have an enquiry about Consular services, please use our consular web form: www.gov.uk/contact-consulate-bangkok

 

For emergencies please call +66 (0) 2 305 8333 or +44 (0) 207 008 1500.

 

 

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, beano2274 said:

Look on Facebook, or maybe add his name and people might have some information

Against forum rules to do that on this forum.

[Jack Hna]

Have heard of a scouser going awol in KK. Hopefully he's resurfaced.

[OJAS]

Even if, in a worst case scenario, the individual in question had popped his clogs and the Embassy had been notified accordingly, I doubt whether they would be willing to disclose this information to any Tom, Dick or Harry (as distinct from next of kin) on data protection grounds.

 

[British Consular Team]

17 hours ago, Gandtee said:

A few weeks ago I contacted a Pattaya ex Consular representative asking advice of a friend who has disappeared off the radar. I was concerned that he may have died. The ex official said "I have passed this on to the British Consul. You should receive an answer quickly, if not already." I have not received one word from the British Consular section. How do I find out if my friend is still with us or has popped off? You must have records of British subjects in Thailand.

 

 

Gandtee, you can use the webform CharlieH links to below to send us your query - or DM us here. If we have info about your friend and his permission to share it with you (OJAS is right about data protection) then we will. 

[Gandtee]

1 hour ago, British Consular Team said:

 

Gandtee, you can use the webform CharlieH links to below to send us your query - or DM us here. If we have info about your friend and his permission to share it with you (OJAS is right about data protection) then we will. 

If I don't know where he is how can I get his permission? I've come to the conclusion that it easier for me to forget it. I can't handle modern day bureaucracy. All I want  to know is, is he on your records as dead as I believe all UK citizens who have died in Thailand are recorded at the Embassy. If the answer is no I will seek elsewhere.

[OJAS]

On 1/11/2021 at 12:28 PM, Gandtee said:

If I don't know where he is how can I get his permission? I've come to the conclusion that it easier for me to forget it. I can't handle modern day bureaucracy. All I want  to know is, is he on your records as dead as I believe all UK citizens who have died in Thailand are recorded at the Embassy. If the answer is no I will seek elsewhere.

 

Don't forget that not everyone who asks the Embassy for details of British nationals whom they have recorded as having popped their clogs may necessarily be doing so for altruistic reasons as you are doing. Some of them could well be seeking to assume the identity of a deceased Brit for nefarious and illegal purposes. How can the Embassy possibly be expected to distinguish between the genuine enquirer and one with sinister motives solely on the basis of a phone call or email?

 

[Gandtee]

11 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

Don't forget that not everyone who asks the Embassy for details of British nationals whom they have recorded as having popped their clogs may necessarily be doing so for altruistic reasons as you are doing. Some of them could well be seeking to assume the identity of a deceased Brit for nefarious and illegal purposes. How can the Embassy possibly be expected to distinguish between the genuine enquirer and one with sinister motives solely on the basis of a phone call or email?

 

Fair comment.

[Captain Monday]

 

 

You may get some info as a courtesy, if the exOfficio knows you well even if not officially allowed.  

 

 

[spiekerjozef]

You should get your answer before Christmas, you know how busy bureaucrats are....

(Coffee when we arrive, one more coffee before the coffee break, out for lunch, one more coffee after lunch, 3pm coffee break, 3.30pm let's start working, 4pm go home.)

 

 

[British Consular Team]

4 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

You should get your answer before Christmas, you know how busy bureaucrats are....

(Coffee when we arrive, one more coffee before the coffee break, out for lunch, one more coffee after lunch, 3pm coffee break, 3.30pm let's start working, 4pm go home.)

 

 

 

You might like to see what we do when we are not drinking coffee... 

 

[British Consular Team]

On 1/11/2021 at 12:28 PM, Gandtee said:

If I don't know where he is how can I get his permission? I've come to the conclusion that it easier for me to forget it. I can't handle modern day bureaucracy. All I want  to know is, is he on your records as dead as I believe all UK citizens who have died in Thailand are recorded at the Embassy. If the answer is no I will seek elsewhere.

 

We understand how this can look bureaucratic. As we said in our response if we hold any relevant information if possible we would seek his permission to share it (or from his next of kin) - you wouldn't need to. 

[British Consular Team]

4 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

 

 

You may get some info as a courtesy, if the exOfficio knows you well even if not officially allowed.  

 

 

 

We are happy to share data where we can but it belongs to the person it is about, so it's their decision who gets to see it. Data protection is something that all our team, serving or not, take really, really seriously. 

[Gandtee]

25 minutes ago, British Consular Team said:

 

We understand how this can look bureaucratic. As we said in our response if we hold any relevant information if possible we would seek his permission to share it (or from his next of kin) - you wouldn't need to. 

If he is dead it would be a tad difficult getting his permission. 

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

4 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

If he is dead it would be a tad difficult getting his permission. 

Yes, indeed it would be. That´s exactly why you sould read all the information they gave.

 

5 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

(or from his next of kin)

Look! There it was.

[blackcab]

Off topic posts have been removed.

[fgmr]

On 1/10/2021 at 11:10 AM, Andy from Kent said:

 

I wouldn't expect any sort of quick answer.

 

You'll be lucky to get an answer at all.

Very similar to the Thai Embassy in London!

 

[Taswegian23]

On 1/10/2021 at 6:10 PM, Andy from Kent said:

 

I wouldn't expect any sort of quick answer.

 

You'll be lucky to get an answer at all.

Sadly, i agree. Based on actual experience, the British Embassy in Thailand. Though I have to say that staff in BKK and Ireland did a terrific job with my passport renewal - they went the extra mile several times - against expectations.