Service by one staff at Australian Embassy

[johnefallis]

You should have just replied to her "Well I didn't come here to speak to anyone from the Thai government, I'm looking for the Australian Embassy to speak to the Australian government."

That whole being jailed thing with that guy from the UK only showed how wrong Thai government officials can be. What a farce. It's can happen anywhere I guess.

[johnefallis]

After reading this entire post and plenty of thought, I think the effort should be put in to have this "Thai government official" fired from the Australian Embassy. To threaten the way she did is absurd, outlandish, ridiculous behavior, for a Thai especially. And if it is not nipped right in the budd, it will likely spread to others.

[samran]

You should have just replied to her "Well I didn't come here to speak to anyone from the Thai government, I'm looking for the Australian Embassy to speak to the Australian government."

That whole being jailed thing with that guy from the UK only showed how wrong Thai government officials can be. What a farce. It's can happen anywhere I guess.

The guy who got jailed was a result of a fukc up by the british embassy purely and simple. The Thai immigtation officers followed standard protocol of ringing the embassy to confirm his identity. The british were out to drinks or something (it was a friday afternoon, of course) and the people left behind couldn't find him on their computer database. Not that there is anything unusual in that as the passport was an old style replacement passport issued outside the UK and was never entered into their system.

The British didn't even bother to speak to him verbally, which after a few basic questions on the UK they could have ascertained if he was who he said he was.

So you wonder why this British chap did his block?

There was no way that the thai immigration officers would have let him board the plane, as 1) they had been given the impression by the british that the passport was not real, and 2) if it was indeed a fake passport he would have been turned around from the UK and sent straight back to Thailand, where he would have been chucked in the immigration detention centre on his return.

[Heng]

That role is akin to being put into the complaints and returns department at a department store. You get all sorts of people, usually uninformed or trying it on (ie "I need to return this blender for a full refund please. It doesn't work cause I put the motor through the dishwasher" type of people). Thailand isn't known for attracting the highest calibre of expat (present company excluded of course), so when things don't go wrong, 19/20 times they are going to be dealing with a moron. Sitting and waiting in the consular section and watching the world go by is a testament to how dumb and stupid some people in the world can be....

Best summary so far.

[samran]

That role is akin to being put into the complaints and returns department at a department store. You get all sorts of people, usually uninformed or trying it on (ie "I need to return this blender for a full refund please. It doesn't work cause I put the motor through the dishwasher" type of people). Thailand isn't known for attracting the highest calibre of expat (present company excluded of course), so when things don't go wrong, 19/20 times they are going to be dealing with a moron. Sitting and waiting in the consular section and watching the world go by is a testament to how dumb and stupid some people in the world can be....

Best summary so far.

heng, it is a mutual admiration society!

[marsteele]

The Thai embassies around the world, who staffs them? I know the thai consulate in Melbourne is staffed by thais. You won't see any aussies working there jobs for thais only. I must admit they are very friendly tho.

[Mousehound]

Regarding names on documents being correct.

I have Australian Citizenship. When I filled in the documents for gaining citizenship they left one of my four (urrrk!) middle names off, despite it being on the form. Years later I need to get an Australian Passport. My UK one is ok but out of date. I find that I can't get an Australian Passport without my Birth Certificate, a drivers License and my Citizenship papers. All OK to this point except....My Citizenship papers need to be changed to include my full name. I go to get this sorted out - two trips later (as the office closes at noon on Wednesdays!) I rock up. Firstly they say my original forms were filled in correctly and that they should have included the missing name but it is my fault as I should have brought it to their attention before issuing the document. I mentioned to them that it would be difficult to anticipate their error but thank them for reminding me that they are correct even when they are wrong. Then they say that my birth certificate is too faded to use so I will need to obtain a certified copy from UK. I get this sorted four weeks later. Next trip they say that all is OK except that my drivers license spell one of my middle names with an "o" in it rather than an "a" and they cannot accept it. I go to the transport authority to get it changed (I have tried to get them to change it for the last three times it has been issued but the renewal comes back with the same error on it each time.) They say that they can't change it without a Passport as evidence of who I am. I show them my UK Passport but it is out of date and they won't accept it. I apply on-line to get a UK passport and it arrives ten days later (the poms are really fantatic, if expensive, at this sort of thing.) I get my driving license sorted and then back to the Australian Passport office. All now OK. They give me a cup of coffee. By now I am on first name terms with everyone in the office and know their life histories in detail. I get my passport.

I go home - in the mail is a rejection for an extension application for a building permit. The Shire has let the rats eat our house plans and untill I replace them (at a cost of $4000) I can't repair the cladding on our roof........ Here I go again!!!!!

Mai Pben Rai