https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly5p995ykko

"He added: "These arrangements are not new, and indeed have applied consistently under successive governments for a number of decades."

Bangkok, Cape Town, and Kuala Lumpur are still among the cities that qualify for hardship payments, alongside Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat."

So UK diplomatic staff get a harship payment for working in Bangkok. They should get less for working in such a popular place. Kuala Lumpur?????

5 hours ago, Geoff914 said:

So UK diplomatic staff get a harship payment for working in Bangkok.

Might be because of the seasonal very bad air quality. KL is odd. Also not sure about Hanoi and HCMC

20 hours ago, Geoff914 said:

They should get less for working in such a popular place.

Particularly since they can swan in and out of Thailand completely unhindered in the way we plebs are not, by simply flashing their diplomatic passports at dedicated IMM checkpoints.

On 8/14/2026 at 9:00 PM, Geoff914 said:

So UK diplomatic staff get a harship payment for working in Bangkok.

What "work" do they actually do in Bangkok?

Bet that’s enough extra money to keep buying lady drinks all night!

On 8/17/2026 at 4:04 AM, soi3eddie said:

What "work" do they actually do in Bangkok?

Years ago, I read one UK diplomat answer that question as follows (I paraphrase):

I'll have you know that I am not idle. I indeed do a half days work for half days pay.