British Embassy Outsourcing

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

Having ground our axes over the BE outsourcing, first visas, then passports, the recently departed ambassador - plonker though he often seemed - has been replaced, for an 18 month term, by a Pakistani Chargé d'Affaires.

http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/our-embassy/our-ambassador/

Are they winding down for a strategic withdrawal?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Having brown skin makes him less British in your eyes? Or at the very least: indicative of anything whatsoever?

[Moonrakers]

Where does it say he is Pakistani?

[Crossy]

It's unclear from his CV whether he is actually a naturalised Pakistani (EDIT I don't actually see anywhere that he's of Pakistani descent) immigrant or British through and through, not that it really matters at least not to me (I know many Brits to whom it would matter).

I think Mr T is highlighting the irony of our visa process being handled by an Indian company, our passports being handled by a Hong Kong office, now our ambassador (yes I know he's not really but it's easier to type) is 'outsourced' too.

I wish him well in what could be a difficult position.

[canopus1969]

Don't worry too much, he's only here for 18 months until the real ambassador has learnt how to speak Thai ............................

[Moonrakers]

So now skin colour does determine nationality after all, I've had it wrong all these years. There ain't no black in the Union Jack and all that.

Meh!!!!!

We ask for people to integrate and when they do they still get crap.

[theoldgit]

But the visa process isn't really being handled by an Indian company, VFS is only a glorified courier service to receive applications, pass them onto the UKBA and then hand the sealed envelopes back to the applicant.

The processing of passports in Hong Kong isn't contracted out, I know you didn't say it was Crossy, the passport procedure has been centralised to save money, theirs not ours of course, it costs us more.

As you are probably all aware a Chargé d'Affaires is a temporary position until a new Ambassador is identified and posted to Bangkok, probably waiting to see how Howard does in Pattaya.

All that said, it does seem that they are really cutting corners here in Thailand, it wasn't long ago they sold that patch of the estate to developers.

I wish Asif Ahmad well in his new post.

Edited November 19, 2010 by theoldgit

[elliss]

Having brown skin makes him less British in your eyes? Or at the very least: indicative of anything whatsoever?

imo. his brown skin makes him a typically english gent.

god bless china , our soon 2b masters .

nee ow :jap:

[phaethon]

Actually he isn't in Thailand, he's in a call centre in Mumbai...

[johna]

Well I won’t have to bother them at all for a new passport, and I learned a long time ago the British Embassy is completely useless, as far as I am concerned they can fold up their tent and go home.

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

I'm glad some are noting the irony, faulty though the reasoning may be.

The BE is handing off more and more of the process to outside contractors, how long before our only interface as British Citizens will be via a website?

Obviously the trade missions etc (which are the major reason we have an Embassy anyway, support of citizens overseas was always a background task) will remain 'real' but the functionality that we see will become ever more 'virtual'.

[PattayaParent]

Don't worry too much, he's only here for 18 months until the real ambassador has learnt how to speak Thai ............................

or perhaps English?

[PattayaParent]

It's unclear from his CV whether he is actually a naturalised Pakistani (EDIT I don't actually see anywhere that he's of Pakistani descent) immigrant or British through and through, not that it really matters at least not to me (I know many Brits to whom it would matter).

I think Mr T is highlighting the irony of our visa process being handled by an Indian company, our passports being handled by a Hong Kong office, now our ambassador (yes I know he's not really but it's easier to type) is 'outsourced' too.

I wish him well in what could be a difficult position.

I don't think his name is a typical English name.

But you're right, he could just as esily be of Indian descent rather than Pakistani.

[Moonrakers]

I am no fan of the Embassy myself, but I'm clearly a bit dense so help me out here.

They have appointed a care-taker ambassador until a permanent one is found.............

Spell it out for me, where is the irony?

[phaethon]

I am no fan of the Embassy myself, but I'm clearly a bit dense so help me out here.

They have appointed a care-taker ambassador until a permanent one is found.............

Spell it out for me, where is the irony?

The OP seems to have got it into his head that this Asif Ahmad is not British but Pakistani. A quick look and I see nothing to suggest this other than his name, skin colour and the statement "Asif has lived in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Japan and China", but he's not accused of being Japanese either...

[fletchsmile]

555 - I thought it was quite funny to say the British have outsourced passports to HK, visa to India, and now outsourced the ambassador to Pakistan. Also like the one about him being based in a call centre in Mumbai - press 555 for English.

Yes there's some inaccuracies, jokes aren't supposed to be about facts. I'd like to think he was they type of guy that would be laugh at it himself or at least see the funny side, and Britain was building characters of all genders, colours, creeds etc so we can highlight and celebrate the diversity and even have a laugh about it at times.

I really don't care what ethnicity, gender, creed or colour he is.

The sad thing is that political correctness has gone way to far in Britain and the west, so we aren't even supposed to have a joke about things. I always thought the British used to have a great sense of humour.

I get discriminated against frequently in Thailand. I don't particularly like it when it's done with the wrong intentions. On the other hand if sometime makes a joke about me, and it's clearly not nasty, I'm happy to join in and have a laugh, and even add a few at my own expense.

When someone told me the new ambassador wasn't coming until January I thought nothing of it. Until they said January 2012. Apparently the reason is he is learning Thai first, or was that English? There was also a certain irony when someone then added that the temporary ambassador for a year or so doesn't speak much Thai either.

[Moonrakers]

Phaethon........ I was being rhetorical

I'm all for having a laugh at our differences. In fact I think we should embrace it as many out there are way too sensitive about things that are completely harmless. The Mumbai call centre joke made me giggle also. Being petty detracts from the real issues where there is a legitimate problem.

The OP was just an out an out slur though, a suggestion that a non-caucasian cannot be considered British. No attempt at humour whatsoever.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Moonrakers

[travelmann]

Well I won't have to bother them at all for a new passport, and I learned a long time ago the British Embassy is completely useless, as far as I am concerned they can fold up their tent and go home.

Best an truest words said on Tv

[dansat]

White British , Indian British or Pakistani British it doesnt matter the guy is still British.. ................. It could be alot and i mean alot worse. They could put a Thai guy in there. Imagine what would happen to visa costs then ! :jap:

[jayboy]

It's unclear from his CV whether he is actually a naturalised Pakistani (EDIT I don't actually see anywhere that he's of Pakistani descent) immigrant or British through and through, not that it really matters at least not to me (I know many Brits to whom it would matter).

I think Mr T is highlighting the irony of our visa process being handled by an Indian company, our passports being handled by a Hong Kong office, now our ambassador (yes I know he's not really but it's easier to type) is 'outsourced' too.

I wish him well in what could be a difficult position.

Crossy

Thanks your civilised words.Asif is British born, has had a distinguished career and is to be our new ambassador after his credentials have been formalised.He is also a stand up guy and I think we can be proud of a man of this class, and also a real demonstration of multicultural Britain.I echo your sentiments about wishing him well.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Why is everyone okay with this topic? Are we having another one when the USA appoints an African American as their embassador or caretaker?

[Moonrakers]

Why is everyone okay with this topic?

I think its course has changed to a positive one.

[ClaytonSeymour]

[

Thanks your civilised words.Asif is British born, has had a distinguished career and is to be our new ambassador after his credentials have been formalised.He is also a stand up guy and I think we can be proud of a man of this class, and also a real demonstration of multicultural Britain.I echo your sentiments about wishing him well.

On that basis one should assume that Mr Ahmad will be a complete & utter failure.

Edited November 19, 2010 by ClaytonSeymour

[PattayaParent]

Why is everyone okay with this topic? Are we having another one when the USA appoints an African American as their embassador or caretaker?

or president maybe?

[PattayaParent]

Phaethon........ I was being rhetorical

I'm all for having a laugh at our differences. In fact I think we should embrace it as many out there are way too sensitive about things that are completely harmless. The Mumbai call centre joke made me giggle also. Being petty detracts from the real issues where there is a legitimate problem.

The OP was just an out an out slur though, a suggestion that a non-caucasian cannot be considered British. No attempt at humour whatsoever.

But they'll never bing back "Love thy Neighbour" to the telly in UK, or even "Mind your Language"

[StreetCowboy]

Phaethon........ I was being rhetorical

I'm all for having a laugh at our differences. In fact I think we should embrace it as many out there are way too sensitive about things that are completely harmless. The Mumbai call centre joke made me giggle also. Being petty detracts from the real issues where there is a legitimate problem.

The OP was just an out an out slur though, a suggestion that a non-caucasian cannot be considered British. No attempt at humour whatsoever.

But they'll never bing back "Love thy Neighbour" to the telly in UK, or even "Mind your Language"

I guess they've gone the same way as the Clangers... If it was not for the Clangers, I'd have never become an astronaut...

SC

[roamer]

My friends stepdaughter joined the FCO, graduate from the LSE and on the fast track scheme, skin colour only slightly lighter than the incoming bod that the OP thinks is so risible. Fluent Thai speaker but then she would be as she didn't leave Issan till she was 10 and still returns at least yearly to visit her grandparents. No doubt there are some here that would object to her turning up in the British Embassy due to her skin shade. Tossers.

Edited November 19, 2010 by roamer

[canopus1969]

I am no fan of the Embassy myself, but I'm clearly a bit dense so help me out here.

They have appointed a care-taker ambassador until a permanent one is found.............

Spell it out for me, where is the irony?

I will repeat, the new ambassador has been appointed, it's just he cannot speak Thai so the UK Gov in it's infinite wisdom is sending him on a (quote) total language immersion program for 18(?) month to learn Thai !

What upsets me is the cost to the taxpayers - why can't he learn Thai in evening classes and earn his salary .....................

[harrry]

While I feel the appointment of the Ambassador is not a bad thing I would say that in appointing people to talk to or liase with people on a face to face basis such as Consular officials I feel that it is important that a person needing their services can converse with them in the same way as they would in their own country. It is not a matter of citizenship it is one of culture which comes from long living in a society. It is not good when a consular official gets into a huff because they are addressed in the same way they woudld be in theur home country. It is the problem of face with that Thai personal can sometimes exhibit.

This does not mean an ambassador cannot function because of his hair colour or antecedents but it woudl presupose that he had had experience of living in the society of the country he represents.

It would be good if they could also have the same level of accountability a person in an eqivalent function in the home public service does.

Edited November 20, 2010 by harrry

[PhilHarries]

For those whinging about the British Embassy I would just say make the most of it while you can for the way things are going you will have to deal with the Consulate Generale de EUSSR.