Mark Kent Has Been Appointed As British Ambassador To Thailand

[Mobi]

I’m still frankly amazed at the unrealistic expectations of what the embassy should be doing on behalf of British residents in Thailand.

You obviously subscribe to the belief that government is a laisez faire body that works for the private sector's benefit. You also probably believe that government is a private company that is not accountable nor should it work for the benefit of a huge body of individuals. You also seem to believe that the UK has no political and economic might and thus should shut its mouth and let Brits in Thailand be abused - often to the extent where some are innocently abandoned and chained up in Thai prisons (for no crime of their own), criminally taken advantage of due to oppresive Thai laws, have little or no rights in Thailand (even if they have Thai family members) etc.

Such an attituted as yours is why nothing is ever achieved and why the UK embassy in Thailand is a pathetic and impotent mess. We need strong leaders, not weak followers and those who write extensively justifying impotence.

'You obviously subscribe to the belief ....'

I subscribe to no particular belief. I am simply telling you the way it is, the way it always has been and the way it always will be, not only as far as the British Embassy is concerned but for every other embassy in this wide world of ours.

What they should be doing is quite another matter, and you can make suggestions till you are blue in the face,but if you seriously believe you are going to change the way diplomatic missions operate, then my friend, you are sadly mistaken and are wasting your time.

'You also seem to believe that the UK has no political and economic might and thus should shut its mouth and let Brits in Thailand be abused - often to the extent where some are innocently abandoned and chained up in Thai prisons (for no crime of their own)......'

That is complete tosh! - I said no such thing.

In fact what I did say was: ...'

'It is simply not within the remit of the Ambassador to make comments or representations on Thai regulations..... 'unless of course such regulations were extremely draconian; e.g. that Brits were being locked up without due process...'

Next time I suggest you read more carefully before throwing out unjustified accusations.

This business of the 'Embassy's role' seems to be quite a crusade with you, and I do have some sympathy with your point of view - you may recall that I too have no great love of embassies or their staff - but frankly, stating your views here will never change anything, but if they help you to let off steam, then... be my guest.

I am still of the view that if you choose to live in Thailand then you must accept everything that goes with it and not expect the British embassy to come to your assistance the minute every turns to the proverbial.....aside from such events as being thrown innocently into prison....

Clearly, we all have our own opinions on this.

[KKK]

Good move by the FCO.....

[millwall_fan]

I think the Thai Police would describe it as a move to an Inactive Post for the previous incumbent. Mr Kent, we love the bit that says you will concentrate on amongst other things we Expats living here. When can we have a breakfast meeting to discuss pensions!

Breakfast? Now they can put pork back on the menu at the Embassy canteen. Wonder if his predecessor will get a good draft? As if!

I met Asif Ahmad when he visited Chiang Mai and I found him to be decent bloke. As a Muslim he didn't drink, but wine was certainly available to those that did and there was pork contained in some of the snacks that the venue laid on. I'm sure bacon sandwiches were never removed from the Embassy canteen at Mr Ahamd's behest (although the idea is quite amusing!) At no time did I think of him as anything other than a career diplomat following the party line. That irked some, as his predecessor certainly ploughed an independent furrow! Asif was an FCO apparatchik brought out to SEA to serve as temporary Charges D'Affairs in Rangoon during the monk riots, before taking over again temporarily in Bangkok to facilitated Quentin Quayle's transfer to Beer Chang, a task he carried out with diligence.

Many expats felt that Mr. Quayle was on 'our side' . Lets hope Mr. Kent is equally helpful.

[LeCharivari]

.....

Mr Asif stated that there are 52,000 Brits living in Thailand ....

52,000 ?

According to the Embassy's website, only 300 Brits die in Thailand every year. Something seems wrong with at least one of these figures ....

[jayboy]

Mr Ahmad was at a do with me and my cousin.

He said we'd go a lot further in Thailand if we had our hair shorter (my cousin has been here 15 years and I've been here 20) so I said "As if Asif" and he looked at me like I'd pooped his daughter one.

Still, what a load of silly comments there are here.

Mr Ahmad is British and that's good enough for me and has done a fine job.

True.

Still, looks like this thread has been semi-hijacked by the BNP Thailand branch who relish at writing the cr@p about the outgoing ambassador that we have seen on this thread.

Mods?

There's nothing like the truth to deflate the unpleasant racists

.Asif Ahmed lately British Ambassador to Thailand will take up his new post as Ambassador to the Phillipines in July 2013 following a year learning Tagalog.Congratulations to Asif and I wish him well.

[harrry]

Mr Ahmad was at a do with me and my cousin.

He said we'd go a lot further in Thailand if we had our hair shorter (my cousin has been here 15 years and I've been here 20) so I said "As if Asif" and he looked at me like I'd pooped his daughter one.

Still, what a load of silly comments there are here.

Mr Ahmad is British and that's good enough for me and has done a fine job.

True.

Still, looks like this thread has been semi-hijacked by the BNP Thailand branch who relish at writing the cr@p about the outgoing ambassador that we have seen on this thread.

Mods?

There's nothing like the truth to deflate the unpleasant racists

.Asif Ahmed lately British Ambassador to Thailand will take up his new post as Ambassador to the Phillipines in July 2013 following a year learning Tagalog.Congratulations to Asif and I wish him well.

Maybe a case of out of the frying pan into the fire with the Phillipines having a very Christian majority and Muslim seperationists in the South. He will need even more skill there than here.

[Mosha]

The embassies are here to represent their governments interest. We come a distant last in their concerns,

[harrry]

Wonder if there will be a slight change in focus. The previous one had a strictly business background. THis one a more varied one including a big involvement in migration.

Edited March 2, 2013 by harrry

[Pimay1]

The embassies are here to represent their governments interest. We come a distant last in their concerns,

Truer words were never spoken.

[jayboy]

The embassies are here to represent their governments interest. We come a distant last in their concerns,

Truer words were never spoken.

Do you seriously think an Embassy's first priority should not be to represent its country's interests.As to the UK there is a large resident expatriate population in Thailand and 800,000 visitors per year - a huge number.On the whole the Embassy and consular section cope rather well with problems faced but inevitably not every client is going to be satisfied.