Consular Assistance For UK Nationals In Thailand

[saengsureeya]

I suppose that the British Foreign Ministry is registering all cases, analyse them and come up with a clear view of causes and reasons of all the misery.

Afterwards the British FM could take its measurements to prevent this misery.

As far as I know, the Dutch Ambassador urged the Thai Government to demand a travel-insurance from each short- and long-term visitor to Thailand. Same as people who visit the Schengen countries........they need to have a travel-insurance.

[evadgib]

I wonder how many Brits in this thread are:

- Registered with the Embassy?

- Up to date re Travel Advise?

- Know the difference between FCO, Home Office, NHS or DWP?

- Up to speed re Mental Health Issues, particularly re making decisions for 3rd parties?

- Likely to have their noses flat against the glass next week seeking help for any of the probs listed in the OP?

The above applies to Non Brits too if you apply your local equivalent.

Edited April 7, 2012 by evadgib

[blackthorn2005]

Lot of 'cannots' there. Cheers boys!

Agreed, more 'cans' would be useful, additionally, bearing in mind the increase in deaths and injuries, it would have been reassuring to know that the Embassy is doing something pro active to protect it's citizens! Poor show, again Mr Ambassador.

[CockneyGit]

Can't do this, can't do that, can't do another......now don't do new passports and have farmed out the visa appication service..!!

"Don't drink, don't smoke... What do you do.??"

This is, without doubt, the WORST UK Embassy anywhere in the world and is famous for being so.

[CockneyGit]

I wonder how many Brits in this thread are:

- Registered with the Embassy?

- Up to date re Travel Advise?

- Know the difference between FCO, Home Office, NHS or DWP?

- Up to speed re Mental Health Issues, particularly re making decisions for 3rd parties?

- Likely to have their noses flat against the glass next week seeking help for any of the probs listed in the OP?

The above applies to Non Brits too if you apply your local equivalent.

Why register?

Absolutely no point at all as there's no services supplied at all. You're on your own in the LOS.

[KKvampire]

"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." -- Asif Ahmad, HM Ambassador, UK

... well ... the Ambassador makes clear one point ... Thailand is not the safe place the TAT portrays it in their glowing advertising campaigns ... thank you Mr. Ambassador for being forthright on what Thailand is and is not as a tourist destination.

... Thailand has a place for tourism ... similar to 3rd world travel ... more for adventure tourists, than for families.

... the numbers are what the numbers are ... no spin there.

And the UK embassy should make it clear to Uk nationals. Thailand is dangerous

[robertson468]

Just count your blessings people!

My Ukrainian girlfriend expects nothing from her embassy - if there even is one!

She smiles at the fuss we make sometimes!

I took the time to read the article, and all of William Hague's speech. Can't say I have a problem with either.

Take responsibility for your own actions, and the embassy will help out when it really hits the fan. Tsunami, war etc.

We can't reasonably expect any more.

Agreed whole heartedly. Those who expect more would be the first to complain about "too much of a Nanny State" and the extra tax they would have to pay to have a Battalion's worth of Embassy Staff in any reasonable sized foreign country to meet their percieved needs. On top of which, if you are responsible enough to make the decision to come and work/live in Thailand, then you should be equally responsible to make provision for your own health/administration.

[bigbamboo]

Sad demise of a once great country, a people from a cold miserable island who went out it little ships and created an empire in the sun. Reduced to a bunch of entitled freeloaders expecting the state to attend their every need.

If Naams' lot were to ever get feisty again (and let's face it, they are due..) Operation Sealion would be over in a flash, you'd all be speaking German and the trains would be running on time before the end of the week.

Can you imagine it?

"You there, Jones has had it, get on that ackack gun and shoot down some Jerries"

"Can't do it Guv, that'd be demarcation see, the union rule specifically states that I am required to perform only as a driver, additionally mind you, health an safety demands 6 weeks training and proper protective clothing before I can get anywhere near that thing, bloody dangerous that would be..."

"Right then, you lot, bucket brigade and get these fires out "

"You avin a lend mate?, I'm on the dole, can't make me work for dole money..."

"Errm.. Ok, you, over there, man this bunker at once"

"oh no mate, I'm being from Pakistan, you fight your own bloody wars..."

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Fings ain't what they used to be, that's for sure.

[FarangTalk]

"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." -- Asif Ahmad, HM Ambassador, UK

... well ... the Ambassador makes clear one point ... Thailand is not the safe place the TAT portrays it in their glowing advertising campaigns ... thank you Mr. Ambassador for being forthright on what Thailand is and is not as a tourist destination.

... Thailand has a place for tourism ... similar to 3rd world travel ... more for adventure tourists, than for families.

And the UK embassy should make it clear to Uk nationals. Thailand is dangerous

The truth at last.

It is just as dangerous for Aussies and Swedes as admitted by their respective Ambassadors/Consular Officers.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Agreed, more 'cans' would be useful, additionally, bearing in mind the increase in deaths and injuries, it would have been reassuring to know that the Embassy is doing something pro active to protect it's citizens! Poor show, again Mr Ambassador.

> And the UK embassy should make it clear to Uk nationals. Thailand is dangerous

> All I want the British Embassy to do is tell it's citizens how dangerous it is in Thailand

I think they just did

"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." -- Asif Ahmad, HM Ambassador, UK

But I don't understand why you think your government should more broadly publicize overblown warnings - for genuine tourists blowing a lot of money on a short trip, Thailand isn't dangerous at all relative to its level of development. For longer-term travellers on a budget and those looking to settle here and then engaging in a risky lifestyle (alcohol, sex trade maybe drugs), the risk goes up astronomically.

It's up to **YOU** the traveller to assess your risk, there's certainly more accurate information available now than ever before in history. Don't expect your government to be able to protect its citizens overseas, I'm sure they'll do their best in unusual instances like the tsunami etc, but not for totally predictable normal stuff like we see every day.

I suppose that the British Foreign Ministry is registering all cases, analyse them and come up with a clear view of causes and reasons of all the misery. Afterwards the British FM could take its measurements to prevent this misery.

As far as I know, the Dutch Ambassador urged the Thai Government to demand a travel-insurance from each short- and long-term visitor to Thailand. Same as people who visit the Schengen countries........they need to have a travel-insurance.

More nanny-state BS. Let people take their risks and then wear them. People die. Life is cheap. If you value yours and want protection then buy insurance. If I'm willing to take my chances and then disappear one day so be it, my problem and maybe my friends and family, but certainly not yours nor my government's.

Trying to eliminate all the risks in life takes all the life out of life.

[evadgib]

I wonder how many Brits in this thread are:

- Registered with the Embassy?

- Up to date re Travel Advise?

- Know the difference between FCO, Home Office, NHS or DWP?

- Up to speed re Mental Health Issues, particularly re making decisions for 3rd parties?

- Likely to have their noses flat against the glass next week seeking help for any of the probs listed in the OP?

The above applies to Non Brits too if you apply your local equivalent.

Why register?

Absolutely no point at all as there's no services supplied at all. You're on your own in the LOS.

Yet you'll likely declare "I'm Brian & so is my wife" while franticly waving your passport & union jack in times of emergency, as was the case in Libya.

Edited April 7, 2012 by evadgib

[Yme]

Looks like damage control in response to the editorial and series of articles on the death of Kasem Bundit university teacher Gareth Davies by John La Fevre and the lack of action by the British Embassy Bangkok.

I saw a heated exchange between him and Asif Ahmad a couple of weeks ago before Davies died.

The editorial is Betrayal in the land of smiles – the death of Gareth Paul Davies and a few other articles with some pretty graphic photos and a pretty no-holds description of how the university had ripped Gareth off with his social fund payments and how the British Embassy wouldn't even go and visit him even after they were advised he was being poorly treated in the hospital --

According to Mr Davies he has been left abandoned in the hospital toilet for three-hours or more on more than one occasion after attempting to use the facilities unaided; was left lying on the floor after falling while attempting to get up out of his bed; and “was jumped on by four or five staff and dragged back to the bed and tied to it with strips of cotton for more than four hours” when he attempted to drag himself to a convenience store in the hospital grounds to buy ice to drink, after his repeated requests were ignored by nursing staff.

“He is lonely and sad and said that [the] nurses are cruel. He hasn’t bathed for 3-4 days because there is no one [to] help him.

“The nurses replied when were asked (sic) that he should have done it by himself, there is a chair inside the bathroom to sit. But Garf (the name Mr Davies is known by to his students) said that he was afraid of falling down and couldn’t stand up.

“His bed sheet was stained with something brown, I asked [the] nurses to change it but they just put the other cloth over (sic).

Get me out of here pleads Leicestershire English teacher

There's a fair few offshoots as well including a response to what the Aussie standard is in a hypothetically similar situation

Australian Government consular assistance for citizens in distress

Seems pretty coincidental coming right on the top of Davies death and La Fevers stories and the exposure his and some other people efforts got on Twitter.

I posted about Gareth being sick in the teaching forum last March 12 Fmr Kasem Bundit University English Teacher Gareth Davies Gravely Ill In Piyavate Hospital and La Fevers first story was on March 18 Leicestershire English teacher abandoned by Kasem Bundit University, Bangkok

In one of the stories there is some of the Twitter exchange between him and Asif and Asif tells LaFever he was able to get results the embassy couldn't --- which seems a bit odd to me.

Just glad I'm not British from the way they let this Davies man die.

[wolf5370]

Most of us do not want nannying or hand holding, but we would like someone to turn up and make sure we were being treated properly as per international law if arrested for example (and not chained naked to the bars on a concrete floor in our own effluence); we would expect that pressure is brought to bear to ensure our citizens are fairly treated; we would expect that a loan could be arranged (with guarantors or home assets - or against pension etc) for emergencies such as repatriation etc. This doesn't mean we expect them to laud it over the home nation or get us out of jail or pay for a heart bypass etc.

What possible relevance does "international law" have to how you're treated by the BiB?

That is **exactly** what people mean by "nanny state". Arranging loans? you must be kidding!

You have chosen to live in a place without rule of law, run by evil mafioso. If you are unlucky enough to get caught up in problems - say electric shocks are being applied to your balls to force a confession, that's just par for the course here, don't expect help from anyone unless you've set aside the small fortune anybody would require to be extracted from that situation. Why should you expect better treatment from the local mafia than the locals? Are you special just because you're white, or have a UK passport?

It's just tough cookies, and certainly not your government's job to extract you from your troubles.

If you're not willing to run those risks then live somewhere where those risks are less likely.

Sorry but that is a pathetic reply. The locals should be protected by their state too - the fact that they aren't in your eyes is not reason that any other state should reneg on its obligation to protect its citizens. If I went and lived in Zimbabwe where the state had warned me that I should not go, and I know there is no embassy, then you may have a point. Here though there is rule of law (however poorly enacted) there is a stable government with a constitution and propective legislature, there is an embassy.

You also took what I said about "loans" completely out of context to try and make a point that did not exist. I did not say they should arrange loans, I said in an emergency they should offer financial support and recoup the money as if a loan. There is a disctinct difference between giving someone a grand because they run out of holiday money, and paying emergency medical bills when someone is dying when the money can be recouped through normal taxation channels - there does exist taxation extensions that allow for paying off genvernmental debts, so the change would be minimal.

[thenervoussurgeon]

The British Embassy is staffed by "paper shufflers third grade" it was 23 years ago when i first came here and has gone downhill eversince.

Edited April 8, 2012 by metisdead
Underscore removed.

[thenervoussurgeon]

Can't do this, can't do that, can't do another......now don't do new passports and have farmed out the visa appication service..!!

"Don't drink, don't smoke... What do you do.??"

This is, without doubt, the WORST UK Embassy anywhere in the world and is famous for being so.

For many years i had to deal with the British embassy on a regular basis , i only thank God that it was not on anything of a serious nature ,to describe their (service) as useless is an understatement.

[TommoPhysicist]

Can't do this, can't do that, can't do another......now don't do new passports and have farmed out the visa appication service..!!

"Don't drink, don't smoke... What do you do.??"

This is, without doubt, the WORST UK Embassy anywhere in the world and is famous for being so.

For many years i had to deal with the British embassy on a regular basis , i only thank God that it was not on anything of a serious nature ,to describe their (service) as useless is an understatement.

They don't eat pork either.

[letitbe]

when i was young 60 odd years ago the British embassy did a lot to help. Twice I was left totally without money due to being robbed. Both times the embassy offered to arrange a boat or flight back to UK but said they would take my passport and I could not get it back or a new one until I reimbursed the cost. I did not want to do that so both times they suggested I could sell my blood for immediate funds and one time the kind lady at embassy lent me 5 pounds ( a lot then) but I think it probably came from her. Fortunately on both occasions I managed to get some money transferred to me. The second time I was travelling with a American girl and when we were both robbed while sleeping rough in park I told her to go to USA embassy and id go to UK one to see what help we could get. The USA embassy told her they could do nothing which was in great contrast to UK at that time. Of course I was young and so the embassy were not risking much since i was sure to want my passport back. I had always thought this was a standard policy for any UK citizan and thought it no problem since nearly everyone would want their passport back.

However I guess these days you get a lot of bum elder men who simply would not pay it back unlike in my youth when bums were young out for adventure and elder men who did travel did so with ample funds.

about 10 years ago I was also robbed of everything in Indonesia including my passport but luckily had some business friends who lent me money to get bye until I sorted things out. Their was no UK consulate so Australian consulate acted for Uk citizans and were most helpful but I dont know if repatriation was an option.

Their is no answer but id like to think that if any of my children got into trouble and could not contact me or another member of family the UK embassy would offer full protection and if needed repatriation as was the case in my youth. Of course these days with internet and instant money transfer its probably not needed as much as 60 years ago.

[saengsureeya]

More nanny-state BS. Let people take their risks and then wear them.

Right, but obviously people take the risk and don't wear it. So what is BS here??

[CockneyGit]

I wonder how many Brits in this thread are:

- Registered with the Embassy?

- Up to date re Travel Advise?

- Know the difference between FCO, Home Office, NHS or DWP?

- Up to speed re Mental Health Issues, particularly re making decisions for 3rd parties?

- Likely to have their noses flat against the glass next week seeking help for any of the probs listed in the OP?

The above applies to Non Brits too if you apply your local equivalent.

Why register?

Absolutely no point at all as there's no services supplied at all. You're on your own in the LOS.

Yet you'll likely declare "I'm Brian & so is my wife" while franticly waving your passport & union jack in times of emergency, as was the case in Libya.

Absolutely no chance!

If there's ever a real emergency I will take care of my family myself.

As a white, working class man in my 40s I have no rights as a UK citizen either here or in UK..!!

[Chopperboy]

The only help they will give is to large British businesses. If something happened to Tesco for example, expect them to be pulling strings real quick. Individuals and smaller businesses - your on your own!

[Publicus]

"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." -- Asif Ahmad, HM Ambassador, UK

... well ... the Ambassador makes clear one point ... Thailand is not the safe place the TAT portrays it in their glowing advertising campaigns ... thank you Mr. Ambassador for being forthright on what Thailand is and is not as a tourist destination.

... Thailand has a place for tourism ... similar to 3rd world travel ... more for adventure tourists, than for families.

... the numbers are what the numbers are ... no spin there.

Of the 314 reported deaths I would like to see a breakdown, by old age, traffic accident, disease, "suicide".

Also shot while trying to phone a lawyer.

[anterian]

Some years ago I was badly treated by the British Embassy in Beijing, I was refused entry by the Chinese guards at the entrance and eventually had to sneak in by a side entrance for Chinese visa applicants. I insisted upon seeing an English member of the embassy, not a Chinese clerk speaking broken English. Eventually a florid faced individual, well into his cups, appeared.

On my return to England I informed the FCO and did not even get a reply, so I informed my local MP, a question was raised and eventually I received a written apology.

Last year my son had problems with the embassy in Manila, getting a visitor's visa for his fiance to attend my daughter's wedding. They had refused it. Again I went to town on the case, they reversed their decision but no apology.

As to the Bangkok embassy I would not touch they with a barge pole, basically when in a foreign country your only real protection is your family, friends and connections.

[LeCharivari]

"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." -- Asif Ahmad, HM Ambassador, UK

... well ... the Ambassador makes clear one point ... Thailand is not the safe place the TAT portrays it in their glowing advertising campaigns ... thank you Mr. Ambassador for being forthright on what Thailand is and is not as a tourist destination.

... Thailand has a place for tourism ... similar to 3rd world travel ... more for adventure tourists, than for families.

... the numbers are what the numbers are ... no spin there.

Of the 314 reported deaths I would like to see a breakdown, by old age, traffic accident, disease, "suicide".

Yes a breakdown of the causes of deaths ( and hospitalisations) would be interesting to see.Personally I am not surprised that the numbers are relatively high given the number of retirees living here and the number of tourists that I have come across who despite having never ridden a motorbike at home ( "they are too dangerous") seem quite happy to rent one here and ride around with no helmet and wearing shorts and flip flops whilst learning to ride "on the fly"

Unfortunately "the numbers are" NOT "what the numbers are" and there is a lot of spin by the British Embassy in Bangkok.

I have no problem with the British Embassy's list of "cannots", which are similar to most countries', nor do I have any problem with it being an individual's responsibility to take care of themselves abroad. What I do have a problem with, though, is the British Embassy in Bangkok failing to do the job they are paid to do and putting a spin on the numbers so that they can have more staff to do less work, having a holiday here at the British taxpayers' expense.

There are currently over 200 staff working at the British Embassy, from the Ambassador and the Consul to drivers and security staff. Thirty are employed in the Consular Section, not including interns and Honorary Consuls (who do the Embassy's job for them for little thanks or reward). A detailed breakdown of Consular assistance asked for and given world-wide is published annually in the British Behaviour Abroad Report*, which makes for some interesting reading and comparisons - as does a comparison with what some British Embassies and Consulates get by with elsewhere.

Currently around 800,000 British Nationals visit Thailand every year and the Embassy claims that around 50,000 British Nationals are "living in Thailand". This compares closely to Lanzarote, where Consular issues are dealt with by one British Honorary Consul.

Of the "314 reported deaths" which Mr Asif Ahmad claims "are amongst the highest in the world" (taken"as a proportion of the total numbers of citizens in the country") he neglects to mention that 263 (75%) are of Britons "living in Thailand" - as most of those are retirees aged over 50 this is actually very small (0.5%), indicating that either the number of Britons "living in Thailand" is exaggerated by the Embassy to justify a large Consular staff, that most of those retiring here go back to the UK to die, or that those retiring to Thailand live to be around 200 years old.

The reality is that the British Embassy in Bangkok has one of the largest Consular sections of any British Embassy but despite their listing "hospitalisations" and other "issues" as ones they "deal with on a daily basis" in order to justify their job what they actually physically do for the 900 Britons they claim to give Consular assistance to every year is minimal. Acording to the FCO and the Embassy's website "If you are hospitalised - We aim to contact you within 24 hours of being told that you have been admitted to hospital. ... we will take account of factors such as your condition, your ability to speak on the phone, whether you have relatives or friends with you, whether you have a tour company representative and the standard of medical facilities, before deciding whether a visit is appropriate. If we believe a visit appropriate and there is a British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate in the same city as the hospital which you are in, we aim to visit you within 48 hours of being told that you have gone into hospital."

Whether any British Embassy should give any more or any less assistance to its nationals abroad than other countries (some give more, some give less) is a separate issue - what clearly happened in this case is simple: the British Embassy failed to do the job that its staff claim to be doing and which they are being paid to do.

*: http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/consular-bba2011

As kruangfaifar rightly surmises, while 60% of deaths are from natural causes the second highest cause (10%) is road traffic accidents.

[anterian]

"There are currently over 200 staff working at the British Embassy," The more "Indians" the bigger the chief becomes.

You forgot to mention that even some of the work they used to do has been off loaded to Hong Kong and the UKBA.

Basically all they do now is the same as the British Council, but less effectively. The only time they actually do anything to help a Brit in trouble is if it hits the British media.

[bangon04]

Being British can be a bonus sometimes. However our embassies are some of the worst in the world for what they offer ex-pats or people on holiday abroad. They basically do absolutely nothing for you. If your having issues, medical, law e.t.c. it pays to be a U.S. Aussie, citizen or almost any other nationality!

Wrong on almost every count.With over 600,000 British visitors every year to Thailand it's simply impossible for the embassy to minister to every tourist's minor problems.The rather good current Ambassador - I'm sorry he's going - has made it very clear and humanely what the Embassy can do and what it can't do.More critically the culture of looking to the state to remedy every need is a peculiarly British one, especially among the benefits oriented underclass which is increasingly dominant in the Thailand tourist market and for that matter in the "expatriate community", whatever that absurd concept is meant to mean.Any doubters should take a look at Lower Sukhumvit or Pattaya.I suspect the first reaction of most Australians or Americans is to try to sort their problems out for themselves, rather than running to their Embassy.

"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."

"

Is he just being diplomatic? I was under the impression that Thailand is the most dangerous place per capita......

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Sorry but that is a pathetic reply. The locals should be protected by their state too - the fact that they aren't in your eyes is not reason that any other state should reneg on its obligation to protect its citizens. If I went and lived in Zimbabwe where the state had warned me that I should not go, and I know there is no embassy, then you may have a point. Here though there is rule of law (however poorly enacted) there is a stable government with a constitution and propective legislature, there is an embassy.

You also took what I said about "loans" completely out of context to try and make a point that did not exist. I did not say they should arrange loans, I said in an emergency they should offer financial support and recoup the money as if a loan. There is a disctinct difference between giving someone a grand because they run out of holiday money, and paying emergency medical bills when someone is dying when the money can be recouped through normal taxation channels - there does exist taxation extensions that allow for paying off genvernmental debts, so the change would be minimal.

And I completely disagree with your expectations, maybe it's a US/UK difference, or maybe I'm coming from an attitude of "deal with reality as it is, not how I'd like it to be". I think making loans to citizens in distress is completely outside what someone should expect from their government these days.

I also think Thailand fits well enough within the definition of a failed state that anyone who's lived here for a while knows you can't expect any protection from some theoretical "rule of law". If you or your kindly relatives have enough money to extract you from whatever situation befalls you as a consequence of living here, great, go ahead and take the risks. If not, then be prepared to wear it, don't expect your government to bail you out.

More nanny-state BS. Let people take their risks and then wear them.

Right, but obviously people take the risk and don't wear it. So what is BS here??

I don't understand. I'm saying it is BS (unbelievable) to me that people don't realize they will indeed wear the consequences of the risks they take. The attitude that your government will help you out of a jam is IMO dangerously ignorant. People have to make their own contingency plans, and if they don't have the resources themselves, make sure they have good enough relations with their friends and family who do. A disease-ridden starving beggar is allowed to die in the street in most parts of the world, and IMO that is from a historical point of view the only model that is sustainable. People have been brainwashed to think the world owes them a living, that just because they are of the human species they have a "right" to food and shelter, or even fullfilling work and dignity. That to my mind is completely unrealistic and therefore "nanny-state BS".

Edited April 11, 2012 by sbk
quotes deleted racist comment

[sbk]

One off topic racist comment removed and responses to that comment. Please use the report button instead of responding to this kind of thing, thanks

[kruangfaifar]

Strange comment. Why don't you have rights in UK? Are you wanted by the police or something?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Strange comment. Why don't you have rights in UK? Are you wanted by the police or something?

Might be more clear if you used the quote feature.

If yes, I wasn't talking about myself, nor any particular jurisdiction, just general principles.

[silsburyhill]

In short, we can't do jack.

I Do find it odd that if a miscreant is nabbed for any crime, from shoplifting to drug dealing and beyond, the embassy (from their website) will actually attend the police station to aid the purported offender.

However, if you find yourself on the receiveing end of the stick, all that is offered is a list of, supposedly, the least dodgy lawyers. Which isn't saying much here. Unless someone is the victim of a sexual assault and a possible visit from your local Consul if you find yourself in hospital. And then all that is done is to arrange a call, at your own expense of course, to friends and family. Most of which the hospital will have taken care of anyway, and in some hospitals calling back to ask for a substantial sum (1m usual), to start treatment.

I'm reliably informed through various Government agencies/departments, together with Thai Lawyers, that someone stating their embassy has been made aware carries a lot of weight. Have also been reliably informed that even so much as a 'I'm calling my embassy' in the local nick works. Odd, as they do sod all. Aside from the usual 'loss of tourist' revenue, crap.

Why so?

Edited April 18, 2012 by silsburyhill