Uk Minister: We’re Not Your Father, Mother Or Auntie

[zzaa09]

I don't think people are asking for the embassy to act like a nanny to them, what British taxpayers should at least get it a service that offers assistance when required. The embassy in Bangkok has a poor reputation the way that it seals with it's citizens, and is often appears to be very passive when it comes to raising any concerns with Thai authorities.

I think that people misunderstand the role of their Embassy. People who travel are expected to have the good sense to take enough money, exercise due care, comply with the law, and insure themselves against misfortune. It's all there in the informaation leaflet that you get with your passport.

More than most, the British Embassy in Bangkok is inundated with people who through sheer carelessness, stupidity, or lack of planning expect to be bailed out and carted home courtesy of the public purse. Sometimes this is simply because they have spent up and are flat broke. Others break the law, and then expect the Embassy to intervene when it has no power to do so, and is in any case reluctant to create a diplomatic incident for such little purpose as trying to get one or another drug dealer off the hook.

The Embassy will help those who really do need it, in a very limited and delayed way, only once all other avenues of assistance have been exhausted. People should bear this in mind before leaving home.

An alternate reality might be to suggest not to look up to your/our respective governments. Their purpose and existence does not include you.

[zzaa09]

Just as a term of reference, Prez Clinton visits NK and secures the release of the two female US journalists who were jailed for 20 years each. Whose your Daddy now?!

Nice job Boss.

BR>Jack

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8184583.stm

Come on Jack. You're not that innocent to really buy this charade, are you. Your boy was just the symbolic American apology presence in Pyongyang just going through the motions. The people's Republic just loves the attention for propaganda purposes. A better chance, that both sides had this planned out a month ago. A circus act. Nothing up my sleeve.......and for my next brilliant {if not bogus} diplomatic act...

[caf]

Speaking of "facts":

Can you explain your post - after you have reviewed the thread and looked at the facts.

The police had agreed to refund the "fine" what I have read talks about the bail money.

The Thai ambassador was involved and, I believe but am not sure , was confronted with the video and the KP letter. Neither now has credibility. How so?

The Ingrums did not plead guilty and were never tried. Correct - they paid monies to certain people to obtain documents which would ensure they'd not have to go trial, and thereby establish their guilt or otherwise.

I suspect something will be arranged regarding the "fine" though we may not know anything about it. Face must be saved.

Do try to keep up.

No bail was posted And you know this how?. Bank to bank transaction to a private account. And yes that did establish guilt but not on the Ingrams.!n This is the problem. That transaction was made from the UK and can't be made to disappear

The Thai police had agreed to fund the money I have only read about the Thai ambassador in the UK talking about refunding bail money. Can you point to where the Thai police have said otherwise? I posted "fine" in inverted commas because that is what it effectively was. I noted your use of inverted commas. That doesn't change what actually happened

The minister raised the issue but - ball-less as he is - did not instruct the embassy to follow through.

The video does not show a theft, however suspicious it is made to look You are right - looked very suspicious to me (amongst many others)

Both the video and letter were released after he left the kingdom with a police report showingh no guilt You get what you pay for. Whatever you may think of that no thai court could then convict could it?

It will be sorted the thai way with no loss of face. Face and guilt are totally different issues

If the Ingrams are shown to be innocent, I am happy to admit I am wrong. To date, everything I have seen places them on the doubtful side of innocent.

A court has not convicted them so they are innocent whatever your views are.

You are studiously avoiding the comments made by the Thai police and the British minister.

It's all on the interne including drummond ( quoting from government sources) for all those wanting to find both sides of the argument.

[Familyonthemove]

Interesting contrast .... the US sends Bill Clinton to help free two journalists from North Korea and sends Senator Web to Burma to free the loser who got Aung San Suu Kyi re-arrested .... and the UK sends a Minister to Thailand to tell us we're on our own.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of Web's visit, at least they did something pro-active.

[astral]

Interesting contrast .... the US sends Bill Clinton to help free two journalists from North Korea and sends Senator Web to Burma to free the loser who got Aung San Suu Kyi re-arrested .... and the UK sends a Minister to Thailand to tell us we're on our own.

I am ashamed to be British....................

[caf]

Interesting contrast .... the US sends Bill Clinton to help free two journalists from North Korea and sends Senator Web to Burma to free the loser who got Aung San Suu Kyi re-arrested .... and the UK sends a Minister to Thailand to tell us we're on our own.

I am ashamed to be British....................

He is a junior minister who will not get reelected because of his role in the expenses issue. Unpopoular to say the least in his constituency and with absolutely no gravitas.

He did make representations about the Ingrams but could not follow through. A Thatcher might have done so ( and i say might. in foreign affairs there are other considerations) but he could not.

[Bagwan]

Here he is

This picture properly belongs on a porn site. It is totally disgusting. The very 50's underwear doesn't help any.

[Bagwan]

Interesting contrast .... the US sends Bill Clinton to help free two journalists from North Korea and sends Senator Web to Burma to free the loser who got Aung San Suu Kyi re-arrested .... and the UK sends a Minister to Thailand to tell us we're on our own.

I am ashamed to be British....................

Not a rare or uncommon emotion these days. Even playing Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches all day long cannot dispel the feeling.

The downward slide of the UK began when they permitted divorcees to enter the Royal Enclosure at Ascot. The 'Scottish Mafia' is completing the job.

[jackspratt]

Perhaps Mr Bryant has a point:

No boob jobs, please, we're British

AFP August 13, 2009, 7:37 am

Help! I've just had my breasts enlarged and I don't like the new size. British embassy - sort out my boobs!

Along with tips on jam-making and how best to discipline naughty boys, these are just a few of the crazy requests being fired at British embassies around the world, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

The country's 261 diplomatic missions across the globe are getting fed up of bizarre demands for help from Brits abroad, some of whom seem to think the British embassy is an agency for finding lost sunglasses and paying bills.

"If you have a serious problem abroad - maybe you've been involved in an accident, have lost your passport or are a victim of crime - we can help you," said Juliet Maric, the British Consul in Alicante on the Spanish east coast.

"But we can't tell you who is allowed to use your swimming pool, pay your taxi fares for you - or do anything about the exchange rate.

"We regularly get inquiries from people who think we're a one-stop-shop for any problem they might encounter while abroad; this can be frustrating as we need to focus resources on the serious cases that we're there to help with."

One lady, unhappy with the size of her newly-boosted breasts following surgery, asked if the embassy could help.

A mother asked the Florida consulate to help her teenage son pack his suitcase and give him a lift to the airport as he was feeling unwell.

One person called in consular assistance to find out what ratio of fruit to sugar should be used when making jam.

A holidaymaker in Italy asked the embassy where a particular brand of shoes could be bought.

Other requests have included asking for embassy staff to pay a bill when a credit card had "maxed out" and a traveller asking "Can you tell me how to make my naughty son behave?"

"Our embassies are not there to provide weather reports or give advice on unruly children," said consular affairs minister Chris Bryant.

"It's important that British nationals understand what the Foreign Office can and can't do for them."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/mp/58...e-were-british/