Another Us Consular Closure This Afternoon

[hml367]

Does anyone know what the consulate is doing to accommodate those that had appointments that were denied? A lot of appointments are fairly important and time sensitive.

We asked this question of the vice consul for American citizen services at expats club meeting today and he said the only appointments affected were those for visa applications and not for Am. citizen services. Those with cancelled appointments should simply schedule new appointments.

So much for the emails from ACS, Chiang Mai, I guess...

"Consequently, the Consular Section of the Consulate General will be closed to the public on September 19. Routine American Citizen Services will not be available. Visa appointments are being rescheduled for a later date."

And similar in their email regarding 21 September.

MSpain

[cheeryble]

Getting the wind up because the natives are restless?

Sending the wrong message?

Handle it at arm's length. Remind the PM she's probably be eating sushi and kowtowing six times a day if it weren't for the Americans and Brits, and it's time to call in a favour and get proper Thai police or Army control of protests?

[MAJIC]

Protests are one thing,indoctronating innocent children, is beyond reason, IMO.

[Rancid]

Wonder if the Thai police would offer the same amount of protection, if a counter protest took place in front of Baan Haw Mosque, where protestors dragged copies of the Koran through the streets, stomped on them, and then set them on fire.

-Mestizo

Thai police may be corrupt but they aren't stupid, if you did that to the Koran they would stand back and watch as the faithful and intellectually challenged of the religion of piece tore you limb from limb, hacked you with machetes and then spat and p*ssed on your entrails, all in the name of God of course.

Later the PC western mainstream media lamenting your demise would report a vicious and provocative affront to Islam from a disturbed and deranged rascist that created a moderated response of mild agitation from peaceful bystanders.

[mcgriffith]

I've lived in Muslim countries, and can say that 99% of the people are just like people anywhere else.

They work, go to restaurants, enjoy life.

They get married, have kids, work hard to send them to school, and are proud of them.

They honour their elders.

Some are very religious, some are secular, some are in the middle, just like western countries.

Obvious to me here is a lot of fear and loathing about Islam and Muslims. I think a lot of it is that those with strong anti-opinions...never met or knew a Muslim as a friend, as I have.

I was raised Christian (Church of England) and one of the first things I was taught in Sunday Bible school was tolerance of others, and forgivedness of their sins.

I see all of this angst and bitterness as a clash of civilizations, in an increasingly instant connected globalized world.

Just my 25 satang.

[funcat]

I've lived in Muslim countries, and can say that 99% of the people are just like people anywhere else.

They work, go to restaurants, enjoy life.

They get married, have kids, work hard to send them to school, and are proud of them.

They honour their elders.

Some are very religious, some are secular, some are in the middle, just like western countries.

Obvious to me here is a lot of fear and loathing about Islam and Muslims. I think a lot of it is that those with strong anti-opinions...never met or knew a Muslim as a friend, as I have.

I was raised Christian (Church of England) and one of the first things I was taught in Sunday Bible school was tolerance of others, and forgivedness of their sins.

I see all of this angst and bitterness as a clash of civilizations, in an increasingly instant connected globalized world.

Just my 25 satang.

With all do respect...I've never met,or have lived closely enough with Muslims,I only get what I get from TV,news,media etc....if these are only "the Extremes" group,so what the other "good" Muslims do to "live their good name"...??!!

[NancyL]

Does anyone know what the consulate is doing to accommodate those that had appointments that were denied? A lot of appointments are fairly important and time sensitive.

We asked this question of the vice consul for American citizen services at expats club meeting today and he said the only appointments affected were those for visa applications and not for Am. citizen services. Those with cancelled appointments should simply schedule new appointments.

So much for the emails from ACS, Chiang Mai, I guess...

"Consequently, the Consular Section of the Consulate General will be closed to the public on September 19. Routine American Citizen Services will not be available. Visa appointments are being rescheduled for a later date."

And similar in their email regarding 21 September.

MSpain

American Citizen Services appointments are on Tuesdays and Thursday. The closures were on Wednesday and Friday.

Also, the on-line appointment calendar still has openings for this coming week. It doesn't book up weeks in advance like the on-line appointments with CM Immigration.

I doubt any American citizens were affected by the closures. Remember there's a 24 hour emergency number, too, that is always answered by an American, not a Thai person.

[hml367]

I should have read more closely.

MSPain

[hml367]

By the way, maybe ACS was not affected, but the APO was. I hope I can make it Monday.

MSPain

[JimGant]

American Citizen Services appointments are on Tuesdays and Thursday. The closures were on Wednesday and Friday.

Mighty nice of them pesky Muslims not to inconvenience citizens of the Great Satan.

[triffid]

Of course the muslims all took to the streets in Thailand when their bretheren in Afghanistan destroyed the ancient giant Buddha eddifices carved into a cliff face.

It is OK for them to hold other religions in contempt but when a couple of crazies offends them they use it as an excuse to violently respond. No wonder they looked at in contempt by other cultures.

For the purposes of this topic/thread we need to keep in mind that these protestors are thais making a non-violent protest in Thailand - where Islam is the 2nd largest religion with adherents in every echelon of thai society and institutions. It hardly behoves a foreigner to decry their right of such protest. What any of us thinks about Islam, America, the morons who made the video etc or the violent protests in other countries is beside the point.

[barefoot1988]

im speechless

[cmsally]

Its always very instructive to look at the posters that are displayed in any protest. If people are coming together through genuine similarities in interest and are self funded you get a wonderful little display of posters all shapes and sizes - hand drawn, mix of messages, cartoons etc..

However if it is more centrally funded and organised - well just take a look at the picture. Basically a decision that you shall go forth and protest so here's your placard.

[jacktrip]

I stopped eating at the muslim chicken stall last few days.

[Mapguy]

I stopped eating at the muslim chicken stall last few days.

And had you been a Muslim during the Crusades, subject to the Spanish Inquisition, or a witness to burning "witches" by American Protestants?

[Mapguy]

Here's a mature response to bigots in America, Libya, or anywhere:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-09-25-11-40-51

[daoyai]

I stopped eating at the muslim chicken stall last few days.

And had you been a Muslim during the Crusades, subject to the Spanish Inquisition, or a witness to burning "witches" by American Protestants?

He probably would have stopped eating at Crusader taverns, Tapas bars and Church socials.

[watcharacters]

They also burned stomped on and burned the flag. Pics on cm108 page:

http://www.cm108.com...zoouoeeanueoen/

-Mestizo

I got over being bothered by flag burning a long time ago. But that shoe throwing is a waste of a possible good shoe.

[NancyL]

Actually, marching down Chang Klan, dragging the American flag, seems to be a much more proportional and appropriate response to the insult of the video than what happened elsewhere in the world -- killing and destruction of property. It would have been much better if all the protestors globally had limited their response to disrespecting the American flag.

[Rancid]

Read in ther Australian media today that Muslims are trying to get Blasphemy instituted as a world wide offence through the UN. By all reports they are quite receptive to the idea. The law has worked well in Pakistan and Iran imprisoning and executing non-beliveres and those who are merely accused by a local Iman. As such there is eccellent legal precedent.

Hopefully this progressive move will lead to world peace as any that insult the Prophet are tasered, tortured, jailed and or executed, likely at least to never to be seen again. The article did suggest that we note the rhetoric coming from our beloved western leaders regarding that video, all condemned those that made it and very few made any reference to right of free speech whatsoever.

Changes are a coming...

[mcgriffith]

http://www. slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/09/the_vile_anti_muslim_video_and_the_first_amendment_does_the_u_s_overvalue_free_speech_.html