British Ambassador Quinton Quayle To Leave Thailand

[Englander]

where we will play a large game of British Bulldog to sort this out.

Now there is a fantastic game from the past, my friends 9 year old recently told me they dont play such games in schools anymore.

[Englander]

where we will play a large game of British Bulldog to sort this out.

Now there is a fantastic game from the past, my friends 9 year old recently told me they dont play such games in schools anymore.

[JohnLeech]

Not sure about the UK but US Ambassadors are appointed by the President (the UK Ambassador is appointed by the Queen) and serve at his pleasure. So either they are recalled or they leave on their own, but, at least for the US, unlike lower level embassy employees who do get rotated out every 2-4 years depending on the job, he doesn't get shifted to somehwere else, there is no set term. While many are career State Dept employees not all are, certainly.

I would assume the UK has a similar system.

An Ambassador's role is not to help citizens, the ambassador represents his or her nation in that country in an official capacity. Citizens services role is to help citizens, not the entire embassy.

A Consul is not the same thing as an Ambassador.

Your assumption is completely wrong, sbk, as are your views on an Ambassador's role.

British Ambassadors are exclusively career civil servants from the Diplomatic Service, with the only rare exception having been the British Ambassador to the UN. While those from the US may be political appointees, those from the UK are not and they do get "rotated out", either to more important Embasssies, to other posts in the FCO, or to more senior posts such as Ambassador to the UN, Permanent Representative to the EU or Permanent Under Secretary at the FCO (the senior post).

While the Ambassador's primary role is to represent British policies to the country he is posted to (and vice-versa) he is also the head of consular affairs and is directly responsible for consular services for British citizens abroad (including such mundane sevices as visas and passports).

You are correct that "a Consul is not the same thing as an Ambassador", but the primary difference is rank - Consuls are subordinate to Ambassadors (with a few exceptions, such as the Consul-General in Hong Kong who is not subordinate to the Ambassador in Beijing but reports direct to the Foreign Office) but their overall responsibilities and duties are similar and, generally, identical - just carried out at a lower level.

[Englander]

Tony Blair isn't busy these days. Perhaps he's available?

Oh! hes been busy alright,made himself in excess of £20,000,000 since leaving office.

Frightening that 2 such evil men had so much power for so long ... nicest thing i could wish them is a painful early death.

[JohnLeech]

Evil is a rather strong word - power hungry certainly, in both cases, and misguided (even dangerously stupid) in one, but hardly evil by intent.

[Martin2009]

This is great news. I did complain to the Foreign Secretary about the refusal of the Embassy to give me a letter after I had my passport stolen. This of course forced me to leave Thailand as obviously the Royal Thai Immigration service could not give me a replacement "O" visa with the Embassy confirming I was getting a new passport even though I had the Thai police report about the robbery.

Clergy at both St Louis and Holy Reedemer confirmed that non-English UK passport holders have never received the letters from the Embassy required by the Thai authorities forcing us to leave our homes and families as well as facing the expense of foreign travel.

Obviously I cannot claim credit for his being moved but I am having a party under the Society of William Wallace at the Highlander in Pattaya to mark his departure. ALL WELCOME

[sbk]

Not sure about the UK but US Ambassadors are appointed by the President (the UK Ambassador is appointed by the Queen) and serve at his pleasure. So either they are recalled or they leave on their own, but, at least for the US, unlike lower level embassy employees who do get rotated out every 2-4 years depending on the job, he doesn't get shifted to somehwere else, there is no set term. While many are career State Dept employees not all are, certainly.

I would assume the UK has a similar system.

An Ambassador's role is not to help citizens, the ambassador represents his or her nation in that country in an official capacity. Citizens services role is to help citizens, not the entire embassy.

A Consul is not the same thing as an Ambassador.

Your assumption is completely wrong, sbk, as are your views on an Ambassador's role.

British Ambassadors are exclusively career civil servants from the Diplomatic Service, with the only rare exception having been the British Ambassador to the UN. While those from the US may be political appointees, those from the UK are not and they do get "rotated out", either to more important Embasssies, to other posts in the FCO, or to more senior posts such as Ambassador to the UN, Permanent Representative to the EU or Permanent Under Secretary at the FCO (the senior post).

While the Ambassador's primary role is to represent British policies to the country he is posted to (and vice-versa) he is also the head of consular affairs and is directly responsible for consular services for British citizens abroad (including such mundane sevices as visas and passports).

You are correct that "a Consul is not the same thing as an Ambassador", but the primary difference is rank - Consuls are subordinate to Ambassadors (with a few exceptions, such as the Consul-General in Hong Kong who is not subordinate to the Ambassador in Beijing but reports direct to the Foreign Office) but their overall responsibilities and duties are similar and, generally, identical - just carried out at a lower level.

Now I know, cheers for the explanation although you probably didn't need to be quite so emphatic about setting me straight, a simple no, thats not correct would have sufficed.

So, then, what is the term set for an Ambassador? And is it usual to rotate one out without a successor being named?

[JohnLeech]

The term for British Ambassadors is usually three years, give or take a couple of months depending on their next post and a suitable replacement coming up. Usually an Amassador will have previously served in that country as a second or third secretary, so its pretty easy to tell fairly early on if one is destined for greatness, for the bridge/tennis circuit, or the the dregs.

It is unusual for no successor to be nominated at this stage, only one month prior to handover, but it is quite possible that an original nominee may have had to be changed for family or any other reason.

Sorry if I sounded over-emphatic, but the idea that all Ambassadors are political appointees after the American pattern and that they are not responsible for consular matters is a common mistake (as this thead shows).

[risky11]

Not sure about the UK but US Ambassadors are appointed by the President (the UK Ambassador is appointed by the Queen) and serve at his pleasure. So either they are recalled or they leave on their own, but, at least for the US, unlike lower level embassy employees who do get rotated out every 2-4 years depending on the job, he doesn't get shifted to somehwere else, there is no set term. While many are career State Dept employees not all are, certainly.

I would assume the UK has a similar system.

An Ambassador's role is not to help citizens, the ambassador represents his or her nation in that country in an official capacity. Citizens services role is to help citizens, not the entire embassy.

A Consul is not the same thing as an Ambassador.

Thank you for the excellent clarification of roles. I meant to click PLUS, but I must have gotten MINUS instead. Sorrrrrrry!

[katana]

The outgoing ambassador didn't seem too interested in stopping the 'Vfs Malpractice at Uk Visa Centre Agent Scam' reported on Thai Visa. Wonder if the new one will take an interest?

[MAJIC]

Tony Blair isn't busy these days. Perhaps he's available?

Oh! hes been busy alright,made himself in excess of £20,000,000 since leaving office.

Frightening that 2 such evil men had so much power for so long ... nicest thing i could wish them is a painful early death.

I could agree with 50% of that statement - - - - - - - fill in the dashes.

[ManInSurat]

I've got a FAR better idea for the new recruitment process. Will all British citizens in Thailand report to the British Club tomorrow morning about 11am where we will play a large game of British Bulldogs to sort this out. Then get hopelessly drunk and trash the city (well, when in Rome and all that).

There, sorted!!

Sorry draftvader, but I think you really do not understand what the phrase - "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." - actually means.

It means when visiting another place and you encounter some unusual customs as part of their culture you should try those customs and try to assimilate. It does not mean, when in Rome do what ever you want.

The last time I checked, in cities all over Thailand, the Thais tend not to get hammered and trash the city. We, the British, have the unenviable global reputation for doing that, perpetuated by football hooliganism or "the English disease" as it was known. Therefore, if you were to see a Brit out on the street-front at 7 a.m., on bended knees, wai-ing to a Buddhist monk and offering alms, or a Thai in the UK, downing 10 pints of lager in 3 hours and then urinating on the side of a coin-operated lavatory before getting in a fight and bringing charges against the police officer that manhandles him into the police wagon, then you could use the phrase "when in Rome" and all that!

Sorry to be a pedant, but that is the real meaning of the saying.

Back on topic, I definitely think Mr. Quayle has received some very unfair criticism in this thread, based solely on the fact of the job he did. I wonder if the election of the new man to fill this job will attract such unecessary criticisms also! I bet it will!

[SoftWater]

where we will play a large game of British Bulldog to sort this out.

Now there is a fantastic game from the past, my friends 9 year old recently told me they dont play such games in schools anymore.

Great game, though as a kid I was always a bit underweight to get through the line for long.

I have a horrible feeling that I read sometime ago that during the political correctness purge of any kind of fun for kids and, coincidentally, discipline by teachers in schools that Bulldog was banned as a playground game for being too violent, or too anti-social, or too something that somebody in Whitehall thought would offend an EU directive in Brussels.

Back to the UK Ambassador, at least he deserves some credit for making a reasonable go at mastering the Thai language in his time here.

Edited October 5, 2010 by SoftWater

[PowerRanger]

British ambassador to leave

By The Nation

I think Thai people like him a lots, he also can speak Thai

British Ambassador Quinton Quayle will leave Thailand at the beginning of November after serving more than three years as chief of mission.

In a statement yesterday, the British Embassy said an announcement on his successor would be made in due course.

The departing envoy is known for his cordial relations with Thai officials, academics, the media and other social groups. His love for football also has made him a popular face in local newspapers.

-- The Nation 2010-09-30

[Bagwan]

Off to collect his KCMG then. Probably deserves it after a couple of years wining, dining and hobnobbing with a bunch of crooked hi-so's and politicians whom any right minded person would despise.

[DoubtingThomas]

I can only report very good experiences with the British Embassy in BKK. They have always been polite, efficient and friendly. They even bent over backwards for me once when I lost my passport (stolen?) in flight!. They managed to deliver me a replacement (O.K. my wife had to bring it to the airport) in five working hours. True I was never invited to afternoon tea with QQ (Quinton - what a wonderful name, so much better than, say, Dan); I'd have preferred an after hours G&T anyway. Nevertheless, top marks to the staff there, for me, they're doing a great job.

If you're one of the blokes I've seen in there wearing a singlet marginally constraining his gut, which regardless droops over his shiny Adidas knock-off shorts, dragging a short, ample a*rsed dark skinned women of easily identifiable origin and prior (and probably current) occupation asking the poor fellow behind the counter (best Bob Hoskins accent) "ere mate, ow can I git a visa for my wife" then you probably feel you have not enjoyed the service many others have. I'm sure QQ will miss you all terribly, innit.

[saraburioz]

Evil is a rather strong word - power hungry certainly, in both cases, and misguided (even dangerously stupid) in one, but hardly evil by intent.

No - evil is very apt for the square-face one - I guess you weren't here in 2003 when he ordered the extra-judicial killings.

[Chalky]

I can only report very good experiences with the British Embassy in BKK. They have always been polite, efficient and friendly. They even bent over backwards for me once when I lost my passport (stolen?) in flight!. They managed to deliver me a replacement (O.K. my wife had to bring it to the airport) in five working hours. True I was never invited to afternoon tea with QQ (Quinton - what a wonderful name, so much better than, say, Dan); I'd have preferred an after hours G&T anyway. Nevertheless, top marks to the staff there, for me, they're doing a great job.

If you're one of the blokes I've seen in there wearing a singlet marginally constraining his gut, which regardless droops over his shiny Adidas knock-off shorts, dragging a short, ample a*rsed dark skinned women of easily identifiable origin and prior (and probably current) occupation asking the poor fellow behind the counter (best Bob Hoskins accent) "ere mate, ow can I git a visa for my wife" then you probably feel you have not enjoyed the service many others have. I'm sure QQ will miss you all terribly, innit.

DT, nice shortening of name to useful intials (apologies!), I take my hat off to you on this missive.

A former civil servant myself (25 years Army - same thing?!), I have had cause to complain at some services from individual staff at the BE since I've been here but I can/must honestly say that each has been resolved through reasonable dialogue and/or e-mails. Admittedly, some were not sorted exactly how I wanted/perceived they should be, but all were successfully resolved and definitely more efficiently since QQ was in office.

Well done and thank you to all those who have correctly identified what Embassies and their staff are there/here for. I'll see you at the bar for the rest of you who think all civil servants (politicians, embassy staff, police, armed forces, etc etc) are there/here for your individual needs exactly as you dictate they should be.

Flame on!!

P.S. Good luck and good fortune Quinton, hope you and your fine family fare well.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Chalky

[Theoutsider]

I bet he went to private school.

[jayboy]

I bet he went to private school.

A very minor and obscure place called Bromsgrove.

I am told the new ambassador has already arrived and is called Asif Ahmad, nothing to be announced until credentials are presented.A friend in the British Embassy tells me he is excellent with solid private sector experience.

[hammered]

I bet he went to private school.

A very minor and obscure place called Bromsgrove.

I am told the new ambassador has already arrived and is called Asif Ahmad, nothing to be announced until credentials are presented.A friend in the British Embassy tells me he is excellent with solid private sector experience.

Interesting about private sector experience and I always thought that Cameron's visit was probably linked to a little private sector investment or business too. Im sure that the new British government will be looking to business deals around the world pretty much as in China recently. No doubt Thailand is on a slightly lower tier in such terms but Thailand does export a lot or fesfood, agricultural products, electronics and assembled vehicles to the EU and Tesco Lotus is the major supermarket of Thailand, and British educational establishments are held in high esteem by the Thai people. It will be interesting to see how this relationship develops over the coming years

[ExpatJ]

Also had good service at the embassy here. Got an emergency passport in 2 hours last week.

I dont know what sort of services some people expect from the emabssy but i (and i think most tax payers??) dont want the embassy handing out cash to 'citizens in need' e.g. because some bloke ran out of money for a return air fare or needs cash for medical treatment etc.etc

Edited November 11, 2010 by ExpatJ

[A_Traveller]

I bet he went to private school.

A very minor and obscure place called Bromsgrove.

I am told the new ambassador has already arrived and is called Asif Ahmad, nothing to be announced until credentials are presented.A friend in the British Embassy tells me he is excellent with solid private sector experience.

Nothing to be announced... hm.., well Asif Ahmad is currently identified as Chargé d'Affaires on the embassy website. So not exactly a secret then.

Regards

[jayboy]

I bet he went to private school.

A very minor and obscure place called Bromsgrove.

I am told the new ambassador has already arrived and is called Asif Ahmad, nothing to be announced until credentials are presented.A friend in the British Embassy tells me he is excellent with solid private sector experience.

Nothing to be announced... hm.., well Asif Ahmad is currently identified as Chargé d'Affaires on the embassy website. So not exactly a secret then.

Regards

My understanding not a secret at all but official announcement needs formal clearance on the Thai side, just a formality but needed none the less.

More interestingly I understand little Quinton has left the FCO and will now be working for Khun Charoen, the slightly dodgy distillery squillionaire.Not a move that say Sir Anthony Rumbold, one of Quayle's distinguished and more patrician predecessors, would have contemplated.But still it's the sort of highly dubious and morally suspect transition what the wonderful New Britain finds acceptable, innit.

Edited November 12, 2010 by jayboy