US Embassy Bangkok Calls For Americans To STEP Up

[tsigane]

I used to hear: America, love it or leave it. I left, please stop following me.

I'll take care of myself, thank you.

So beautifully said!

[siamjimi]

What the embassy REALLY needs to do is prioritize their efforts and STEP UP their visa agents to satisfy the demand for more application processing.

Currently their system is to let a visa applicant's 90 days paid subscription expire before they begin to consider granting a visa - that's a ridiculously absurd and ludicrous approach to handling what seems to be an overloaded visa department

What a novel idea it would be to add more agents to make the interviews and qualify the applicants - Duhh!! - reducing the load and getting those people qualified to go and spend money in the USA - WOW - how simple minded management can be.

Instead they spend their resources getting addresses of travelers and residents updated online.

I registered before - for what ? - a national crisis control ? - no-one contacted me to advise me to evacuate or instructions for other emergency contingency during the May red-shirt demonstrations with bombs and tanks rampant in the streets - I never heard of anything from the during the Tsunami

So what is their to STEP UP to ?

So you think consular section purposely doesn't want to manage everything as efficiently as possible? Now that's a ridiculous and absurd statement if I ever heard one. Every organization in the world has a budget to stick to regardless of what you think and it's not about processing numbers (individuals) just so they can spend money in the USA—talk about simple minded! Unless you're hiding from someone or some organization, it's a good idea to let the embassy know who and where you are...what? You think you're totally beyond danger here in Land of Smiles? Have you not heard how many foreigners and Thais come up dead, missing or whatever over here? Pull your head out man...I've been here since 2003 and I've registered and everytime any type of trouble rears it ugly head here, I get an email from American Citizens Services with a lot of good information on trouble spots, things to think about to keep yourself safe, etc., etc., etc. Heck if you don't listen to or want any good advise, at least you can cease with the non-nonsensical comments!

Mosan - May I ask where you are from ? - USA ? - I am !! - You think its nonsense to have literally thousands of back-logged applications and general chaos at the embassy daily for applicants trying to get visa's to the USA - what a great first impression of the great USA - Huh!!

I should have made myself clear about the VISA type I am referring to is a SIMPLE TOURIST VISA that cannot be granted in less than 3 months time - the current processing time is now from 6 months to up to 9 months

how the hell can a person plan a vacation around a work schedule or buy advance purchase tickets to save a few dollars when the embassy has no idea when they will process the applicant - there are literally tens of thousands of applicants waiting months upon months to get a simple tourist visa - that's ludicrous

You think the USA embassy has such a small budget they cannot afford to hire on more agents to process them - that's simple minded man - wake up.

It certainly is about numbers - and yes the result is tourism my friend - plain and simple - if people cannot get tourist visa to travel to the USA they will go elsewhere and spend money elsewhere and where does that put the USA - on the bottom of the list for preferred destinations - thats stupidity in its purest form.

You think its simple minded for me to expect MY embassy to do their <deleted> job and use their budget to serve Americans - to provide visa's for anyone wanting travel to America with an American - or anyone for that matter - to bring people to the USA and let them spend their money - so if this is the result of envoys and consulates with fat paychecks is to allow the system to be overloaded and create visa mayhem - HAVE YOU BEEN THERE TO SEE THE PROCESS ? - DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN PROCESSED THROUGH THE EMBASSY FOR A SIMPLE TOURIST VISA ? - I doubt it from your complacent comments in this forum discussion

I travel extensively with my Thai GF - she can get a visa to practically any country in 4 to 6 weeks - as it should be - UK - Australia - Holland - Middle east - practically anywhere except the USA

If I ran my business like they run the embassy I would not have a business - it would implode and dissolve - but oh i forgot - this is USA spending MY tax money to provide services that are substandard - I am supposed to be quiet and let them do as they like as you suggest

my friend - its like a good restaurant - its all about management - and our embassy in Bangkok needs some fresh management

I registered with the Embassy and updated my info quite a few times and once settled into Thailand at a permanent address - have had the same telephone number and address and email for 8 years in Thailand - and not one word from them during any crisis situation to date.

I have sent letters and emails to congressmen, senators and other state representative complaining about the bad services at our embassy - I will keep sending them until there is change and someone replaces the envoy and allows a real manager to step in and take charge of the visa application processes at the American Embassy

[tropo]

Between biolmetric passports, the Thai visa system, cellphone and credit card usage

they can pinpoint us reasonably quickly if they REALLY want to.

I'm sure most people using cellphones here don't register them. They aren't going to be much use at tracking down people.

If a person doesn't want to be found in Thailand it's very easy to stay below the radar.

Yeah ... well ... Thai Immigration has been asking for my cell number on the last two extensions. I've been soooo tempted to ask them if they're going to call me, but have resisted because the official was not that stunning. They have my correct address anyway so I don't lose any sleep wondering if they're going to triangulate my cell phone or some such thing. If I were that paranoid, I'd turn it off and then find a plastic surgeon after I cut off my fingertips and had all my teeth pulled.

LOL! I actually forgot about them asking for cellphone numbers for visa extensions.

[vahack]

<br />

to me it is not being paranoid, its that the government should not be involved in the citizens lives.<br />

thats my POV too. especially since i dont live in the country or use its services or benefits. once a year i go to the US embassy to get a notarized piece of paper and pay $50 for it. social security? it wont exist in 25 years when i am eligible. i dont drive on US roads, i dont use US public utilities, and i dont care to line the pockets of fat greedy politicians. haters and ignorant "patriots", feel free to bash me <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=''

What's the $50 for if you don't mind my asking..?

$50 is the price for a notarized letter. then of course $50 at the translator to get it translated, stamped, and mailed to me. no big deal. i only go to BKK once a year..

[TechnikaIII]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

Unless you are on the run, .. what's the problem? What have you to hide?

[Gonsalviz]

Knowing where we are is a good thing.Get over your paranoia.

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

Good for you, maybe.

As good pal of mine once said, 'Heck I wish the government didn't even know I existed.'

[Gonsalviz]

Knowing where we are is a good thing.Get over your paranoia.

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

And if they REALLY want to find you they can.

No doubt all our data is on Thai computers including home adress

and such if the NSA can't get past the Thai firewalls

they aren't worth their astronomical budget.

99 88/100th of us are not worth their time and trouble to look for.

But if you're straight up and in the database,

you are possibly going to have a faster time getting help if you REALLY need it.

just check the data base and the see you are who you are...

whether they help or not is another matter.

Between biolmetric passports, the Thai visa system, cellphone and credit card usage

they can pinpoint us reasonably quickly if they REALLY want to.

You better not pout you better not cry you better be good I'm telling you why,

Uncle Sam can come to your town.

Yeah, but they work for the government. If they can get you to do the work for them, they can get fatter.

[Gonsalviz]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Who cares what they know unless you have something to be afraid of ?

Not that I really care. I just ain't gonna go out of my way to help them. They don't help me.

[Gonsalviz]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Big Brother aka the IRS, sniffing out merkins who aren't paying their pound of flesh.

Most of the people putting money in offshore bank accounts are cheating the honest US taxpayer out of millions of dollars in public funds...

Most of these people are rich already and in my opinion are crooks who should receive much harsher consequences than your average burglar or purse snatcher....

Unless you are doing something wrong, you have nothing to worry about

I'm not cheating. As I say I just ain't gonna go out of my way to help them.

[Gonsalviz]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

As PhuketRichard points out, if you are living here long-term and have foreign bank account(s) in AGGREGATE that exceed USD 10,000 even for one day in a given calendar year, you are required to report them along with any interest earned in the accounts. If you have at least 10% ownership in a foreign corp (in the case of Thailand, a Thai Limited Company qualifies as a Corp), you are also required to file all sorts of forms and statements related to the foreign corp.

The IRS conducted one semi-amnesty program back in 2009 to get US citizens to fess up. They started a second one in March of this year.

Penalties under these amnesty programs are significantly reduced (but still high) if you come forward voluntarily.

However, if you are required to report and haven't done so, and did not participate in the either one of these amnesty programs, and they catch you...your days in Thailand could well be over. Depending on the scope of what has been unreported, you could be subject to jail time and truly draconian penalties.

Our dear friend and Socialist Charlatan in Chief Obama has been quoted a few years ago as wanting to "mine the expats" as it is believed (and correctly so) that there billions upon billions of unreported foreign accounts and associated unreported income from those accounts, that the US gov't is highly motivated to get their hands on, given the financial mess the US is in.

If you guys want to roll the dice on getting caught later...good luck with that.

I have not had accounts to exceed the amounts. When I do, the money will have had taxes paid on it and it will have come from a bank that they do have access to. So if they want to know where the money I have in Thailand came from, they already have the means to check. Again, why should I help them? They don't help me.

[animatic]

The illusion of being able to hide indefinitely, even here, is a chimera.

So if you're not doing anything wrong, why sweat it.

Edited July 20, 2011 by animatic

[Gonsalviz]

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Who cares what they know unless you have something to be afraid of ?

YEH thats what they all say ,1984 has arrived ,just a little late.

Please explain.

1984 was one of great predictions of the end of the world.

[bangkokbruce]

After going back to the USA after we de-activated our base in U'Tapou and being dis-respected by anti-war activist we chose to stay in Thailand. We built a home for my thai wifes family in Hellkok and I use that address for anything Big Brother wants to know. We have a farm near the Burmese border and choose to live off the land. I don't need email notifications from the embassy, we provide our own protection up here. I served my country well and never got much back in return so they can kiss my ass. I paid into social security and get what I'm entitled to and thats it. If their is a coup YOU are on your own, don't expect much protection from the us embassy. The only protection you need here is a AK-47 and the local hilltribes. We have our own army and I prefer to keep it that way. Peace and quiet.

[Gonsalviz]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

Big Brother knows anyway

Correction. Big Brother could know if they wanted to. Since they are big fat and lazy they want us to come in and tell them. HELLO?

I ain't into helping them.

[Gonsalviz]

This free service brought to you by the folks that now charge $85.00 for previously free passport pages. It is good to see where our money is going.

Are they also charging more to get a new passport now?

This is a major game changer I am shocked to hear this!

It is so stingy and unfair that they only give you about 24 pages in the new passport and then will charge another $85 for how many cents worth of paper and time spent?

Meanwhile the republicans continue to seek loopholes and tax breaks for wealthy billionares and oil companies dont you just love it?

This is unconstitutional and could possibly be contested in court as it is an unfair tax on traveling.

Justice William O. Douglas held that the federal government may not restrict the right to travel without due process:

The right to travel is a part of the 'liberty' of which the citizen cannot be deprived without due process of law under the Fifth Amendment. If that "liberty" is to be regulated, it must be pursuant to the law-making functions of the Congress. . . . . Freedom of movement across frontiers in either direction, and inside frontiers as well, was a part of our heritage. Travel abroad, like travel within the country, . . . may be as close to the heart of the individual as the choice of what he eats, or wears, or reads. Freedom of movement is basic in our scheme of values.

When you apply for a passport, you can request a 48 page passport. Also I doubt new pages $85 but it is no doubt that there is a charge for something that should be free. They have come up with some really far out reasons to charge money so why should that be left out.

[Gonsalviz]

This free service brought to you by the folks that now charge $85.00 for previously free passport pages. It is good to see where our money is going.

Are they also charging more to get a new passport now?

This is a major game changer I am shocked to hear this!

It is so stingy and unfair that they only give you about 24 pages in the new passport and then will charge another $85 for how many cents worth of paper and time spent?

Meanwhile the republicans continue to seek loopholes and tax breaks for wealthy billionares and oil companies dont you just love it?

This is unconstitutional and could possibly be contested in court as it is an unfair tax on traveling.

Justice William O. Douglas held that the federal government may not restrict the right to travel without due process:

The right to travel is a part of the 'liberty' of which the citizen cannot be deprived without due process of law under the Fifth Amendment. If that "liberty" is to be regulated, it must be pursuant to the law-making functions of the Congress. . . . . Freedom of movement across frontiers in either direction, and inside frontiers as well, was a part of our heritage. Travel abroad, like travel within the country, . . . may be as close to the heart of the individual as the choice of what he eats, or wears, or reads. Freedom of movement is basic in our scheme of values.

Agreed, but what about the citizens who don't travel? Should they subsidize your "free" passport? I think it's OK for those who need it to pay for the product/service. Just wish this was the case for a lot of other things in the US!

I have no problem paying $125 for a passport but to pay $85 for a few pieces of paper to stick a visa on? How it it go from $0 to $85 in one second flat? Even $30 sound like too much to me..

Anyway they are broke and desperately grabbing without intelligence for whatever they can.

Government people are not known for their intelligence.

They are know for their desire for power.

The intelligent usually have better things to do...

Roger that.

[wlcart]

Register so the government can give me better service?

Give me a break.

I left the US because their service sucks!

The government has done nothing to help me and plenty to screw me.

Sure, BB can find you if they really want, but i aint gonna make it easy for them.

[Gonsalviz]

What the embassy REALLY needs to do is prioritize their efforts and STEP UP their visa agents to satisfy the demand for more application processing.

Currently their system is to let a visa applicant's 90 days paid subscription expire before they begin to consider granting a visa - that's a ridiculously absurd and ludicrous approach to handling what seems to be an overloaded visa department

What a novel idea it would be to add more agents to make the interviews and qualify the applicants - Duhh!! - reducing the load and getting those people qualified to go and spend money in the USA - WOW - how simple minded management can be.

Instead they spend their resources getting addresses of travelers and residents updated online.

I registered before - for what ? - a national crisis control ? - no-one contacted me to advise me to evacuate or instructions for other emergency contingency during the May red-shirt demonstrations with bombs and tanks rampant in the streets - I never heard of anything from the during the Tsunami

So what is their to STEP UP to ?

So you think consular section purposely doesn't want to manage everything as efficiently as possible? Now that's a ridiculous and absurd statement if I ever heard one. Every organization in the world has a budget to stick to regardless of what you think and it's not about processing numbers (individuals) just so they can spend money in the USA—talk about simple minded! Unless you're hiding from someone or some organization, it's a good idea to let the embassy know who and where you are...what? You think you're totally beyond danger here in Land of Smiles? Have you not heard how many foreigners and Thais come up dead, missing or whatever over here? Pull your head out man...I've been here since 2003 and I've registered and everytime any type of trouble rears it ugly head here, I get an email from American Citizens Services with a lot of good information on trouble spots, things to think about to keep yourself safe, etc., etc., etc. Heck if you don't listen to or want any good advise, at least you can cease with the non-nonsensical comments!

Regardless of what the consular section wants, they are attached to the behemoth US Government. The out of control expenditures, the sloth like movements and the ridiculous reasons for charging money are enough to keep me away. The consular section is not only for American citizens. Citizen services is only a small part of the consulate and the consulate being representative of the United States should be supported by tax payer dollars not by making up reasons to charge ridiculous amounts of money for services that are only required by the US Government. 'Make up a new rule so we can jab these poor dopes for some more money.'

I am fully aware that the citizen services people in Bangkok, atleast, are diligently enforcing rules that were made up by the morons in DC. I do not condemn them at all. It is the system in general that I will not assist.

My wife is the only one that needs to know I am dead.

[SouthernMan3]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Who cares what they know unless you have something to be afraid of ?

Not that I really care. I just ain't gonna go out of my way to help them. They don't help me.

What help have you ever asked them for that they didn't help with ?

[Gonsalviz]

<br />

to me it is not being paranoid, its that the government should not be involved in the citizens lives.<br />

thats my POV too. especially since i dont live in the country or use its services or benefits. once a year i go to the US embassy to get a notarized piece of paper and pay $50 for it. social security? it wont exist in 25 years when i am eligible. i dont drive on US roads, i dont use US public utilities, and i dont care to line the pockets of fat greedy politicians. haters and ignorant "patriots", feel free to bash me <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=''

What's the $50 for if you don't mind my asking..?

$50 is the price for a notarized letter. then of course $50 at the translator to get it translated, stamped, and mailed to me. no big deal. i only go to BKK once a year..

$50 (not the fee but if you add up all your expenditures) to get the foreign ministry to certify that a passport, that is good for travel, is good enough for the consulate to say that that the certifier is good enough to certify that this valid passport is good enough for the consulate to say that is ok for you to now claim your wife on your tax form. Another $50. Wow that wore me out just like when I said it to the consulate rep and she agreed. That my friend, is the government making up ways to charge money. I see Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi all over that one.

[Gonsalviz]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

Unless you are on the run, .. what's the problem? What have you to hide?

Nothing to hide at all. I just ain't gonna make any effort to help them.

[Gonsalviz]

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Who cares what they know unless you have something to be afraid of ?

Not that I really care. I just ain't gonna go out of my way to help them. They don't help me.

What help have you ever asked them for that they didn't help with ?

Nothing at all, if I ask. It's the part that I don't ask for that I don't want or need them to help me. The only reason I need them at all, are for reasons that they made up. And they'll help you right out some money too.

[moe666]

Just flying here alerts the US to where you are. Remember passing through immigration when you left? Registering here is a good thing. I get regular updates via email. And the more US citizens they know that live here, the better services they will provide.

Who cares about the FBAR. I make no money here on it, so don't have to pay taxes. No biggie. TurboTax kicks out the form automatically.

I donot know which airport you leave from but I have never passed thru immigration on my way out of the states, security yes immigration no, Los Angeles is my point of departure.

[Gonsalviz]

Just flying here alerts the US to where you are. Remember passing through immigration when you left? Registering here is a good thing. I get regular updates via email. And the more US citizens they know that live here, the better services they will provide.

Who cares about the FBAR. I make no money here on it, so don't have to pay taxes. No biggie. TurboTax kicks out the form automatically.

I donot know which airport you leave from but I have never passed thru immigration on my way out of the states, security yes immigration no, Los Angeles is my point of departure.

No departure point in the US has immigration. There are sometimes voluntary forms given out by the airlines but I have never been asked for them and have never volunteered them.

[techboy]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

Har-har. You don't know nothin' from nothin'! If those boys want you they will come and nab your butt and they can find you without Embassy data. I have seen them come right out to a seismic boat in foreign waters to grab a guy. Furthermore it is clear that you have never been in the wrong place at the wrong time. You would be real glad that you made your info available.

[remorhaz]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Who cares what they know unless you have something to be afraid of ?

Yes and why would you be afraid unless you owe alimony, child support, back taxes, estimated taxes, student loans, customs duty, have a warrant, might have a warrant in a similar name, be mistaken for someone who has a warrant, owes back property taxes, owes back medical bills, owes a debt to a court, has a similar name to someone who might owe a debt to a court, are considered a "terrorist" because you accidently put leaves into the yard of someone who works for homeland security, the FBI, the NSA, the NRO, or the TSA, or someone on the "no fly list" or someone who could have his/her passport denied, detained, or encumbered for ANY reason conceivable by any reason thought up by ANY bureaucrat by ANY reason. Indeed why would anyone have reason to question this? How stupid are you exactly?

[astanhope]

Yeah they were a big help when I got snatched up by the Lat Phrao cops for no reason years ago. I couldn't get a hold of anyone there. Waste of time.

What did the coppers haul you in for?

I was apparently caught speeding "on laser" the other day.

[SouthernMan3]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

^ Indeed.....Indeed. Big brother wants to know all....

Thank You but I will pass.

Who cares what they know unless you have something to be afraid of ?

Yes and why would you be afraid unless you owe alimony, child support, back taxes, estimated taxes, student loans, customs duty, have a warrant, might have a warrant in a similar name, be mistaken for someone who has a warrant, owes back property taxes, owes back medical bills, owes a debt to a court, has a similar name to someone who might owe a debt to a court, are considered a "terrorist" because you accidently put leaves into the yard of someone who works for homeland security, the FBI, the NSA, the NRO, or the TSA, or someone on the "no fly list" or someone who could have his/her passport denied, detained, or encumbered for ANY reason conceivable by any reason thought up by ANY bureaucrat by ANY reason. Indeed why would anyone have reason to question this? How stupid are you exactly?

Well, aren't we the rude one.

What exactly are the delineations of 'how stupid' ?

And what is yours ?

Btw, what's the deal ?

Are you another one of those whoremongering alcoholic drug addicted pedophiles ?

Then I could understand you hesitance in letting the US Gov. know exactly where you are hiding out.

Have you not yet figured out that US citizen security is a good thing ?

"How stupid are you exactly?"

[astanhope]

Yes and why would you be afraid unless you owe alimony, child support, back taxes, estimated taxes, student loans, customs duty, have a warrant, might have a warrant in a similar name, be mistaken for someone who has a warrant, owes back property taxes, owes back medical bills, owes a debt to a court, has a similar name to someone who might owe a debt to a court, are considered a "terrorist" because you accidently put leaves into the yard of someone who works for homeland security, the FBI, the NSA, the NRO, or the TSA, or someone on the "no fly list" or someone who could have his/her passport denied, detained, or encumbered for ANY reason conceivable by any reason thought up by ANY bureaucrat by ANY reason. Indeed why would anyone have reason to question this? How stupid are you exactly?

Like (except the "stupid" part - unnecessary)

Edited July 20, 2011 by astanhope

[ryladie99]

A good idea in some respects. It also enables Big Brother to know where you are.

Yes and No. Yes, they can help many Farangs when they get into trouble if they trust the American Embassy in Thailand. No if Farangs want to live alone and do not trust the Embassy. I myself have no idea since I only visit the country and I never stay longer than 2 weeks. Now you Farangs have to make the decision. Take Pro and Con and remember this model will not work for everyone. My take and opinion.