Posted here because it's only for fun.

The good old British government have come up with another cost saving scheme. Citizens living in Thailand can no longer get a new passport here. Previously one could walk into the British Embassy in Bangkok to apply, or send the form by mail. Now you have to get it from Hong Kong. When you click on the British Embassy website, you have to click again for redirection to Hong Kong. Once there, you have to click on a link for special conditions if you live in Thailand. Then you can download the application form, post it to Hong Kong, where they process a bit of it – and take a load of money off your credit card. They then send it to the UK, and you wait for a month or more. If you need to travel urgently in the meantime, you have to buy a special document – from Bangkok, Thailand. The UK forwards the new passport to Hong Kong, Hong Kong send it to you. Eureka! Rule Britannia!

The caring authorities slipped a little message inside my new Passport too. I'll frame it and hang it on my wall. It's full of helpful advice like, 'This passport should be treated with great care.' 'This passport must not be bent, twisted, perforated or immersed in liquid.' I like this one: 'It should not be subjected to extreme heat, humidity or direct sunlight.' Hmm. Looks like I'll have to leave Thailand, then. Future travel can only be to cold climates. 'It should not be placed near electro-magnetic fields such as television sets or microwave ovens.' In other words, don't sit in a hotel lounge where there is a TV, or dry it out in the microwave oven in your apartment. Finally, my government friends remind me to make sure I have the right visas before travelling.

At least you have a British Embassy in the country you choose to live.

In Laos we are taken care of by those pesky Australian types, and we all know what they think about us whinging poms.:jerk:

I believe that soon you won't even be able to get a British passport from Hong Kong. The British civil service has decided in its infinite wisdom that all passports will now be issued in the UK as a "security measure". Doubtless that will mean longer delays and higher courier costs.

I wonder why Hong Kong? It hasn't been a British colony since 1997. Also, the Chinese government isn't exactly cooperative toward western nations, so I'm surprised they allow British passports to be processed there.