Last month in the Consular team #8

Greetings once again.

Here is our usual monthly updates.

Last month 102,458 British travellers entered Thailand. Bangkok Consular team dealt with 177 new cases. Death contributed to 40% of this number, including a high profile death in Chonburi. Hospitalisation case ranked 2nd, and welfare case ranked 3rd where we dealt with vulnerable elderly detainee and child abuse.

In addition to our priorities of providing support to vulnerable British nationals, engaging in external meetings with our key stakeholders is also crucial for ensuring enhanced cooperation.

Donation to the Police General Hospital

To thank for their support of vulnerable detainees, we donated adult diapers to the Police General Hospital, fulfilling one of their needs.

Department for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

The meeting was led by the Israeli Embassy and represented by 12 other embassies and the Bangkok Consuls group. We met the Deputy Director-General Chatchadaporn Boonpreeranat to discuss about how Thailand responses to major incidents in Thailand.

Grand Palace Exclusive Visit - hosted by Tourist Police Bureau

This was another opportunity to meet with the Tourist Police Bureau Commissioner. It facilitated informal discussions and social rapport building with the Head of Foreign Affairs at Tourist Police Bureau. This private invitation was extended to selected embassies, with notable attendees including U.S, French, Korean and UK embassies.

Institute of Forensic Medicine and Tourist Assistance Centre

This presented another chance for Consular frontline officers to maintain working relationships and professional cooperation. We took this opportunity to donate adult diapers.

40th Thai Travel Agents Association Anniversary

This annual social event brought together key players in tourism, including members, international tourism promotion organizations, airlines, embassies, agencies, media, and the Tourism Council of Thailand. Its aim was to revitalise the industry and strengthen partnerships.

HMA Courtesy Call to Minister of Transport

A courtesy call to the new Transport Minister, Mr Suriya Juangroongruangkit, to discuss collaborations on achieving a low carbon society, becoming an electric vehicle production hub, and addressing road traffic accidents, especially those involving motorcycles among British nationals in Thailand. This covered discussions on invalid driving licences and local vehicle rental shops.

Phuket Governor Bi-Weekly Meeting with Honorary Consuls/ Consuls

An opportunity to meet the new Governor of Phuket at the regular bi-monthly meeting at the Phuket Governor's complex. The meeting highlighted topics of marine safety and motorbike safety, particularly the enforcement of driving license checks. The Governor expressed particular concern about motorbike safety. British tourists were ranked third in the number of visitors in 2023, following Russian and Chinese.

See you next month!