Have You Registered Your Phone # With Your Embassy?

[hendrix]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

[fred2007]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

I don't have a phone

[libya 115]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

I am sure that many ex-pats living in Pattaya are registered with their respective embassy.

However: Many residents of Pattaya are on the run from, arrest, crime, mafia, ex-wife, ex-girlfriend/boyfriend, drug gangs, revenge attacks, smuggling gangs, fraud squads, vexatious litigants etc. that they DON'T WANT TO BE REGISTERED

[popshirt]

I'm not on the run from anything but I certainly wouldn't register with my embassy.

The U.S. government is already poking its nose into people's private lives in ways that were unthinkable pre-Bush; the less information I give them the better I feel even though I realize it's a hopeless battle.

[popshirt]

I don't have a phone

You know I really envy you. I leave mine turned off many days intentionally.

But I think if it were discovered, you could go to jail in Thailand for not having at least one mobile phone.

[PattayaParent]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

I get enough spam mail SMSs infesting my 'phone without volunteering to have someone send me more cr@p.

[joskydive]

I'm registered with the British Embassy but don't get anything from them.

[GungaDin]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

I don't have a phone

Telepathy to connect to the internet?

[elkangorito]

I have successfully escaped a government that;

1] convicts people for sodomy,

2] convicts people for not voting,

3] encourages slavery...

the list goes on.

Why the phuk would I give these twits my phone number?

[gzu88bv]

You know I really envy you. I leave mine turned off many days intentionally.

But I think if it were discovered, you could go to jail in Thailand for not having at least one mobile phone.

Sorry, English is not my native language. What are you saying here? You leave your mobile turned off on purpose, correct?

You also say, if i.e. as an example the police were to discover this, one could go to jail.

Sorry maybe I am too dumb, or are you joking? Does that mean if I exchange my Thai SIM card with an European SIM card for 6 months while abroad I could run into trouble when returning and for what reason?

[elkangorito]

My comments in blue.

You know I really envy you. I leave mine turned off many days intentionally.

But I think if it were discovered, you could go to jail in Thailand for not having at least one mobile phone.

This is a joke.

I also leave my phone "intentionally" switched off when I do not wish to be bothered. The joy of having a phone that can be "switched off".

[12DrinkMore]

I'm registered with the British Embassy but don't get anything from them.

That's normal unless you pay 2,000 Baht or more.

[lazeeboy]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

I am sure that many ex-pats living in Pattaya are registered with their respective embassy.

However: Many residents of Pattaya are on the run from, arrest, crime, mafia, ex-wife, ex-girlfriend/boyfriend, drug gangs, revenge attacks, smuggling gangs, fraud squads, vexatious litigants etc. that they DON'T WANT TO BE REGISTERED

libya you need a chill pill

[Wrong Turn]

Each time there's a crisis, my embassy sends me a text message. How convenient.

In the event of an emergency, people via the embassy would also be able to reach me. It's a free service so why not register?

In Thailand, I don't see the need.

Also, in moments of foment, the communications systems are the first to be disabled.

The US embassy sends out warning at the drop of a pin.

[PeaceBlondie]

I decided to let my embassy know where I am. Have to go there annually now, to get a pension letter, anyway. Have even been known to show up for the annual picnic. Their local staff is very good at what they do for expats, in my experience. Georgie boy did not call me on my mobile when he has been here. At least Laura went to Mae Sot to strike a non-violent blow for freedom in Burma. The government IS the enemy, but not all their employees are always doing the Devil's business.

[esprit]

Not to mention that the UK governement has already a proclivity to either loosing any type of personal data or failing that, selling it to third parties so that they may bombard you with junk SMS - no way

Edited September 4, 2008 by esprit

[mmushr00m]

Registered with the Canuck embassy when I 1st moved here.

In my almost 2years in LOS I have NOT recieved any correspondence at all from them. No emails, no mail, no SMS.....oh wait I did recieve a tax notice.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

No, I haven't registered and I most certainly don't plan to.

[libya 115]

I have successfully escaped a government that;

1] convicts people for sodomy,

2] convicts people for not voting,

3] encourages slavery...

the list goes on.

Why the phuk would I give these twits my phone number?

It must be tough for all Manxmen............

[pampal]

no need to register

[PhilHarries]

A good point there H. I've never registered with the British Embassy in any of the countries I've worked in save for Venezuela but when they have a coup they don't muck about, no roses for the troops there. Problem for me is that I am always moving around and I'd be always onto them to register or deregister.

How many people go round with the "I'm not registering with those idle b@st@ds at the Embassy, all they want to do is poke their nose into my life" attitude. Then something goes wrong and we get images of weeping wailing Brits on the television "the Embassy has done nothing for us". How can the Embassy do anything for you if they don't know you are there? Besides which most of these people swagger around claiming they don't need the Embassy as they ar big boys/girls and can look after themselves. All goes pear shaped when the bullets start to fly and they are running around p1ssing their pants.

[PeaceBlondie]

Phil is right. When the bullets start flying, my boyfriend knows to notify the embassy that I am dead. We did not need to notify the authorities in Mexico; they were tracking us. One of our teammates arrived in Chiapas, yelling that he had to call the US embassy and complain that the US FBI had interrogated him on Mexican soil!

[GungaDin]

A good point there H. I've never registered with the British Embassy in any of the countries I've worked in save for Venezuela but when they have a coup they don't muck about, no roses for the troops there. Problem for me is that I am always moving around and I'd be always onto them to register or deregister.

How many people go round with the "I'm not registering with those idle b@st@ds at the Embassy, all they want to do is poke their nose into my life" attitude. Then something goes wrong and we get images of weeping wailing Brits on the television "the Embassy has done nothing for us". How can the Embassy do anything for you if they don't know you are there? Besides which most of these people swagger around claiming they don't need the Embassy as they ar big boys/girls and can look after themselves. All goes pear shaped when the bullets start to fly and they are running around p1ssing their pants.

How very true!

[Gaccha]

A good point there H. I've never registered with the British Embassy in any of the countries I've worked in save for Venezuela but when they have a coup they don't muck about, no roses for the troops there. Problem for me is that I am always moving around and I'd be always onto them to register or deregister.

How many people go round with the "I'm not registering with those idle b@st@ds at the Embassy, all they want to do is poke their nose into my life" attitude. Then something goes wrong and we get images of weeping wailing Brits on the television "the Embassy has done nothing for us". How can the Embassy do anything for you if they don't know you are there? Besides which most of these people swagger around claiming they don't need the Embassy as they ar big boys/girls and can look after themselves. All goes pear shaped when the bullets start to fly and they are running around p1ssing their pants.

How very true!

The British Embassies response after the Tsunami was a masterclass of incompetence. The report on the way the embassy responded described the Foreign Office as utterly and staggeringly incompetent. The report was unsparing in its details. A quote from the independent report by the National Audit Office ( a UK governmental body):

"Their conduct was disgraceful and made me ashamed to be British."

or how about this:

"They were out of their depth and totally overwhelmed."

http://www.nao.org.uk/

Why on earth would I provide any details to those fools?

I was here for the Tsunami and I didn't for a second think the Embassy could help me in anyway. But I tried to help them.

[LindsayBKK]

I would like to update my new mobile number for the Australian Embassy . I have updated 3 times already and now I get 3 newsletter update emails from them everytime as they don't update they just add you as another person. I am sure they don't care.

[angiud]

I don't see any crisis

[draggons]

No thanks.

Just what are the incompetants up on wireless road going to do for you? Unless you're a multi millionaire businessman promoting the good of the good old UK then you'd be last on the list to be informed of anything untowards happening.

As for when "the bullets start flying" I'll take my chances and make a run for the border

[ilyushin]

I signed up.

When I first came a long time ago.

Keep it updated.

I think it is a wise thing to do when living abroad.

Runners won't of course.

Do it and be wise. Never know you might just get a tax refund in the mail.

[thaimate]

as the british embassy is about as much use as a chocolate spoon,no i havnt.

why in gods name would i let a bunch of paper shufflers third class know anything about me ,just so they could lose or sell the information.

[GungaDin]

Jeez, am I the only person that thinks my Aus Embassy does a good job

in emergencies?

If the new boy is half as good as Bill Patterson (Tsunami, 2004) ,

I'm happy to give them my mobile number.

BTW, does anyone know where Mr. Patterson is these days?

Edited September 5, 2008 by GungaDin