British Consul In Jomtien

[mallyrd]

Has anybody had any dealings with the new British Consul in Jomtien and if so how helpfull is he/she? I need to go there today or tomorrow and it would be nice to know what type of person one will be dealing with.

[dogtim]

I seem to recall this question was asked a few months ago on here. It was announced that the occupant of this position is a Thai/English woman.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Rimmer
Discussion of moderation

[steve187]

let us know what she is like and the opening hours, after your visit

Edited January 4, 2012 by steve187

[melsnet]

Check out pinned notice at the start of the Pattaya forum

When I went in Nov the temp British Consulate was a British lady who came down from the Bangkok Embassy. Her assistance was a Thai English speaking lady. Both very helpful.

[steve187]

I assumed from the title of this thread that the temporary arranges were over and we had full time staff, with longer than one half day opening

[mallyrd]

I assumed from the title of this thread that the temporary arranges were over and we had full time staff, with longer than one half day opening

I'm afraid that this is not the case. Got there around 11:30 this morning only to be faced with a sign saying they only open on Thursdays between 10:30 and 12:30. I called the Embassy to get confirmation on this and someone there said that the Consulate would be back to normal business from the 16th of January.

[Rimmer]

See the new pinned topic HERE

[wpcoe]

Well, better to see the Thursdays-only sign on a Wednesday, than on a Friday!

[Basset]

The new Consul is a lady called Leela (Lee) Bennett, she is English/Thai and has lived in the UK for the last 13 years, her assistant is also a lady by the name of Khun Ell who is Thai. Both called in for a chat last week regarding welfare issues and both appear very keen to get on with the job.

[hm1973]

I think we should give them a chance and not be negative towards them before they even start. They have a hard job ahead of them and will need time to settle in to the position. I wish them all the best.

[Rimmer]

Negative comment removed

[Satcommlee]

And I hope they have absolutely no desire to get on TV at any opportunity, and will concentrate on the job at hand :-)

[timekeeper]

And I hope they have absolutely no desire to get on TV at any opportunity, and will concentrate on the job at hand :-)

thats obviously a sly dig at Howard Miller but if your criteria was used to qualify the efficiency of anyone in a public position then there would not be any officials in Thailand or anyone else in the world.

JFK realised TV was the future and is been used and abused by people ever since.

if you think HM was any less of a consul simply because of his TV exposure then you should say it loud and qualify it...........

[JimSiam]

And I hope they have absolutely no desire to get on TV at any opportunity, and will concentrate on the job at hand :-)

People in Honorary positions still need to work to afford to be able to assist in this voluntary manner and provide a service which some seem to take for granted.

Edited January 6, 2012 by JimSiam

[mallyrd]

And I hope they have absolutely no desire to get on TV at any opportunity, and will concentrate on the job at hand :-)

People in Honorary positions still need to work to afford to be able to assist in this voluntary manner and provide a service which some seem to take for granted.

As I understand it this new set-up is on the basis of a paid position not a volunteer position.

[JimSiam]

And I hope they have absolutely no desire to get on TV at any opportunity, and will concentrate on the job at hand :-)

People in Honorary positions still need to work to afford to be able to assist in this voluntary manner and provide a service which some seem to take for granted.

As I understand it this new set-up is on the basis of a paid position not a volunteer position.

The post I responded to was about the dig taken at the previous Consul which was a voluntary position.

[jombom]

Many other nationalities seem to get by, without any consul at all.

Is there something specific about being British that requires such a service ??

Just wondering.

[Jingthing]

Many other nationalities seem to get by, without any consul at all.

Is there something specific about being British that requires such a service ??

Just wondering.

Its a good thing to have for any nationality.

You could ask the same question about:

Denmark, France, Hungary, Norway, and Sweden

[RabC]

Many other nationalities seem to get by, without any consul at all.

Is there something specific about being British that requires such a service ??

Just wondering.

One major benefit is that there is no need to travel to the Embassy in BKK to get all the paperwork required by Thailand for visa extensions etc.

[LeCharivari]

Many other nationalities seem to get by, without any consul at all.

Is there something specific about being British that requires such a service ??

Just wondering.

Its a good thing to have for any nationality.

You could ask the same question about:

Denmark, France, Hungary, Norway, and Sweden

... and a few others, such as Austria - all the others are honorary, though, as are all others (including the British ones) in Thailand.

As the new Consul's salary is 6 times what the previous ones got (and the new Consular Officer's double her predecessor's) and the two staff who came down from Bangkok for the last three months managed to get a week's worth of consular work done in a morning, taking it in, processing it and returning letters at 1 pm the same day, then finding time to do any other necessary consular work and visits before being back in Bangkok by 4 pm, and British tourist numbers are visibly a fraction of what they were even five years ago with no increase in the number of retirees, jombom's question seems a pretty valid one.

[hm1973]

... and a few others, such as Austria - all the others are honorary, though, as are all others (including the British ones) in Thailand.

As the new Consul's salary is 6 times what the previous ones got (and the new Consular Officer's double her predecessor's) and the two staff who came down from Bangkok for the last three months managed to get a week's worth of consular work done in a morning, taking it in, processing it and returning letters at 1 pm the same day, then finding time to do any other necessary consular work and visits before being back in Bangkok by 4 pm, and British tourist numbers are visibly a fraction of what they were even five years ago with no increase in the number of retirees, jombom's question seems a pretty valid one.

Allow me to pull apart your post and correct some errors.

1. Honorary Consul's are unpaid. The Vice Consul position is a new one for Pattaya. Where the "6 times" part comes in, I will never know!

2. The Consulate Officer will in fact be on a LOWER salary than the Consulate Officer who previously worked in Pattaya as she is one grade lower.

3. The two officers from Bangkok worked solely in the Consulate and did not undertake any outside consulate work and because they were open only one day a week at that time had to turn-around documents on the same day to avoid a 1 week waiting time.

4. Really don't mean to sound patronizing in any way but you would not have the first idea of the consular cases the Pattaya team have to deal with. Many are unpleasant and extremely challenging. Tourist numbers are down but the numbers of long stay Brits is still at a level where consular cases occur on a daily basis. Prison visits, Hospital visits etc etc.

Working in the Pattaya Consulate was the biggest challenge I have had to date and I am sure the challenges will continue. Instead of moaning about them, try and support them a bit. Trust me, they will need it.

Howard

(ex-Honorary Consul)

[timekeeper]

thank you for responding HM

i for one am looking forward to a response from lecavalry

every time the British consul/embassy/ambassador/honorary consul is mentioned on TV he responds in a derogatory manner

he sure has a stick up his arse over it

i think he got turned down for the job!

[londoedan]

... and a few others, such as Austria - all the others are honorary, though, as are all others (including the British ones) in Thailand.

As the new Consul's salary is 6 times what the previous ones got (and the new Consular Officer's double her predecessor's) and the two staff who came down from Bangkok for the last three months managed to get a week's worth of consular work done in a morning, taking it in, processing it and returning letters at 1 pm the same day, then finding time to do any other necessary consular work and visits before being back in Bangkok by 4 pm, and British tourist numbers are visibly a fraction of what they were even five years ago with no increase in the number of retirees, jombom's question seems a pretty valid one.

Allow me to pull apart your post and correct some errors.

1. Honorary Consul's are unpaid. The Vice Consul position is a new one for Pattaya. Where the "6 times" part comes in, I will never know!

2. The Consulate Officer will in fact be on a LOWER salary than the Consulate Officer who previously worked in Pattaya as she is one grade lower.

3. The two officers from Bangkok worked solely in the Consulate and did not undertake any outside consulate work and because they were open only one day a week at that time had to turn-around documents on the same day to avoid a 1 week waiting time.

4. Really don't mean to sound patronizing in any way but you would not have the first idea of the consular cases the Pattaya team have to deal with. Many are unpleasant and extremely challenging. Tourist numbers are down but the numbers of long stay Brits is still at a level where consular cases occur on a daily basis. Prison visits, Hospital visits etc etc.

Working in the Pattaya Consulate was the biggest challenge I have had to date and I am sure the challenges will continue. Instead of moaning about them, try and support them a bit. Trust me, they will need it.

Howard

(ex-Honorary Consul)

I wish the new staff well. But I also hope that appointees do not crop-up in local media outlets and in crappy staged gatherings. And that all of the consular staff refrain from being part of local businesses that could result in a conflict of interest.

Simon

[elwood]

... and a few others, such as Austria - all the others are honorary, though, as are all others (including the British ones) in Thailand.

As the new Consul's salary is 6 times what the previous ones got (and the new Consular Officer's double her predecessor's) and the two staff who came down from Bangkok for the last three months managed to get a week's worth of consular work done in a morning, taking it in, processing it and returning letters at 1 pm the same day, then finding time to do any other necessary consular work and visits before being back in Bangkok by 4 pm, and British tourist numbers are visibly a fraction of what they were even five years ago with no increase in the number of retirees, jombom's question seems a pretty valid one.

Allow me to pull apart your post and correct some errors.

1. Honorary Consul's are unpaid. The Vice Consul position is a new one for Pattaya. Where the "6 times" part comes in, I will never know!

2. The Consulate Officer will in fact be on a LOWER salary than the Consulate Officer who previously worked in Pattaya as she is one grade lower.

3. The two officers from Bangkok worked solely in the Consulate and did not undertake any outside consulate work and because they were open only one day a week at that time had to turn-around documents on the same day to avoid a 1 week waiting time.

4. Really don't mean to sound patronizing in any way but you would not have the first idea of the consular cases the Pattaya team have to deal with. Many are unpleasant and extremely challenging. Tourist numbers are down but the numbers of long stay Brits is still at a level where consular cases occur on a daily basis. Prison visits, Hospital visits etc etc.

Working in the Pattaya Consulate was the biggest challenge I have had to date and I am sure the challenges will continue. Instead of moaning about them, try and support them a bit. Trust me, they will need it.

Howard

(ex-Honorary Consul)

That was a damned good reply Mr. Miller. It does seem that there are many expats here who, as soon as they see the words British Embassy, automatically bash out vitriolic garbage denigrating the staff, particularly the usual rants about being overpaid, underworked, non-caring etc.

Perhaps they are the same types who similarly like to rant at anything Thai?

[timekeeper]

... and a few others, such as Austria - all the others are honorary, though, as are all others (including the British ones) in Thailand.

As the new Consul's salary is 6 times what the previous ones got (and the new Consular Officer's double her predecessor's) and the two staff who came down from Bangkok for the last three months managed to get a week's worth of consular work done in a morning, taking it in, processing it and returning letters at 1 pm the same day, then finding time to do any other necessary consular work and visits before being back in Bangkok by 4 pm, and British tourist numbers are visibly a fraction of what they were even five years ago with no increase in the number of retirees, jombom's question seems a pretty valid one.

Allow me to pull apart your post and correct some errors.

1. Honorary Consul's are unpaid. The Vice Consul position is a new one for Pattaya. Where the "6 times" part comes in, I will never know!

2. The Consulate Officer will in fact be on a LOWER salary than the Consulate Officer who previously worked in Pattaya as she is one grade lower.

3. The two officers from Bangkok worked solely in the Consulate and did not undertake any outside consulate work and because they were open only one day a week at that time had to turn-around documents on the same day to avoid a 1 week waiting time.

4. Really don't mean to sound patronizing in any way but you would not have the first idea of the consular cases the Pattaya team have to deal with. Many are unpleasant and extremely challenging. Tourist numbers are down but the numbers of long stay Brits is still at a level where consular cases occur on a daily basis. Prison visits, Hospital visits etc etc.

Working in the Pattaya Consulate was the biggest challenge I have had to date and I am sure the challenges will continue. Instead of moaning about them, try and support them a bit. Trust me, they will need it.

Howard

(ex-Honorary Consul)

I wish the new staff well. But I also hope that appointees do not crop-up in local media outlets and in crappy staged gatherings. And that all of the consular staff refrain from being part of local businesses that could result in a conflict of interest.

Simon

Simon

maybe you could petition the British Ambassador to write it into the Consuls contract that there be absolutely no contact with media and that they cannot attend any event where the media might be present and god forbid,take their picture

also make it clear that they are not allowed to have any social life at all outside the job for fear of creating a conflict of interest

until then, so you are not offended, its probably best that you ask the new Consuls, preferably in person, that they not to attend any local charity events, or any British expat clubs to impart information to British expats,or to attend British expats in hospital, or the morgue, or at the scene of a disaster or any tragic events involving British expats or indeed anywhere outside the confines of their humble office in Jomtien, where the media might possibly turn up to and report their presence away from their desk.......

[londoedan]

Bit of an over-reaction No problem with a difference in opinion, as long as things stay civil, is there ?

[Rimmer]

It would be a shame to have to close this topic.........

[jombom]

Many other nationalities seem to get by, without any consul at all.

Is there something specific about being British that requires such a service ??

Just wondering.

One major benefit is that there is no need to travel to the Embassy in BKK to get all the paperwork required by Thailand for visa extensions etc.

Fair enough point. US citizens seem to get by, with 4x 1 day visits per year by Embassy staff to Dusit hotel.

Purely from observation, the only people I notice making regular trips to BKK are Australians. It's quite a mystery to me, as other nationalities never seem to mention. My last visit (to my Embassy) was about 4 years ago, and that was only because I happened to be passing by anyway.

[timekeeper]

Bit of an over-reaction No problem with a difference in opinion, as long as things stay civil, is there ?

au contraire, i think the over reaction was yours

why not let them just get on with the job without trying to handcuff them......

[hm1973]

So, getting back to the original topic....has anyone visited the Consulate since Monday and how was it?