Uk Consular Assistance

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Good letter here, me thinks, and the U.S. is much the same. Just remember, you're largely on your own when traveling, as it should be.

Mac

Consular assistance for UK nationals

April 6, 2012 1:00 am

As a consequence of the large number of British tourists and residents in Thailand, the British Embassy in Bangkok has to offer assistance to a significant number of distressed citizens.

What we can and cannot do is guided by government policy, and we aim to provide a service standard that is consistent worldwide. Sadly, in the last 12 months, there were 314 reported deaths and 204 cases of Britons in hospital which were notified to us in Thailand. As a proportion of the total numbers of citizens in the country, these are amongst the highest in the world.

We cannot comment on the circumstances of an individual case, as there are issues of privacy and law. In drawing any conclusions about the treatment of a person, we remain accountable for meeting set obligations and standards of service. That said, our staff deal as sensitively and professionally as possible with people in very difficult and at times traumatic circumstances.

Once we hear of a person being admitted to hospital, we aim to establish contact within 24 hours. Victims of assault or other crimes are visited as soon as possible. We do not visit everyone in hospital. A person's ability to speak on the phone and support from family and friends are factors that determine whether a member of the British Embassy should go to the hospital. We can contact family and friends if a person is unable to do so. If requested, we can help establish contact between a patient and their insurance provider, and we may be able to help with communication with hospital staff if no one there speaks English.

We cannot pay for medical treatment or arrange the provision of hospital care. We cannot ask for better standards of treatment in a public or private hospital than that provided to local nationals. We are not able to fund the cost of the transfer of individual patients to the UK. Commercial disputes that may arise, such as the validity of insurance cover from a company or medical schemes operated by an employer are not issues where the British Embassy can intervene. These are complex legal and compliance issues that fall outside the competence of our staff. We cannot verify whether the exclusions of an insurance policy have been correctly applied if payment is refused. We cannot establish the specific terms under which a person may be employed in Thailand, including declaration of pre-existing conditions and limits of any employer's medical schemes. We can provide a list of English-speaking lawyers who can help.

In the event of a death, we inform next of kin as soon as we have official confirmation. We help families with information and support at a time of intense distress. We cannot assist financially. We cannot investigate the cause of death but we can explain local procedures and advise on access to legal advice.

Our advice to all British citizens who visit or live in Thailand is to ensure that they buy full travel and medical insurance. They should ensure that they do not breach the terms of the cover provided. Riding motorcycles without helmets, dangerous sports and non-declaration of pre-existing illness can have serious consequences. Cost of medical treatment and evacuation to the UK is likely to be prohibitive for individuals. Emergency fund-raising from friends, relatives and the public becomes the only option if there are no private funds or insurance cover.

The full range of the support and limitations of our consular service is set out in www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/2855621/support-for-british-nationals-abroad.pdf. Long term residents should also be aware of the limitations of free health care under the NHS www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/movingabroad/Pages/Livingabroad.aspx

Asif Ahmad

HM Ambassador, UK

[edwinclapham]

I cant argue with the whole content of his letter!

What I do argue with is their capability of dealing with situations beyond our control, the tsunami being a typical example, or hurricane Katrina!

[webfact]

The topic is published in Thailand News

Consular assistance for UK nationals in Thailand

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ls-in-thailand/

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