Embassies What Country Looks After There Citizens The Best

[WilliamCave]

I was to my embassy the other day and they seem to have changed a little, some what better service .

On a scale how would you rate your Embassy when u need assistance or advice or any experiences you might have had.

Just a curious thought today after my trip to the Canadian Embassy

[Sing_Sling]

The US embassy . . .

. . . they even provide helicopter rides for their citizens when abroad . . . in Vietnam for example.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Sing_Sling

[chiang mai]

The UK, the government gives all older people a free trip to Liverpool.

[Thailand Bound]

Being an American I had some dealings around the area in the past 27/28 or so years in the US embassies within SE Asia here is a brief assessment.

US Jakarta below average

US Singapore below average to the point of being rude

US Thailand above average service for American citizens but when I lived in BKK 23 years ago it was common knowledge they had very little knowledge as to what was really going on in the Thailand, so much so, that they were buying their intelligence from the Australian embassy.

[WilliamCave]

Being an American I had some dealings around the area in the past 27/28 or so years in the US embassies within SE Asia here is a brief assessment.

US Jakarta below average

US Singapore below average to the point of being rude

US Thailand above average service for American citizens but when I lived in BKK 23 years ago it was common knowledge they had very little knowledge as to what was really going on in the Thailand, so much so, that they were buying their intelligence from the Australian embassy.

I have heard the Austrailian embassy in Thailand is very good

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I've used both the American and the British embassies and thought the British was friendlier and more efficient. But it has been a couple years since I've been in one so things may have changed.

[chiang mai]

The US Consulate in Chiang Mai is super efficient, I think.

[wannascuba]

US Embassy Bangkok = above average from my experience.

[h90]

Before the Austrian embassy was the worst possible I can imagine....but it seems they have improved with new staff......before they had male staff that was more in Patpong than in the embassy...than they changed the female staff and the last few times it looked like they improved a lot.....But still the Thai dragons are there.....most unfriendly Thais I have ever seen, must has been a long difficult screening process to find them.

Usually I refuse to speak English and speak German with the strong dialect of my area.....so they hand me over to an Austrian as no one else would understand that

[Puyai]

I went to the Canadian embassy on Monday and I must say that the two staff that dealt with my application were two of the rudest people I've ever met.

Must of been the English man applying for Canadian citizenship that they didn't like. I think I might even make a complaint, that's how bad I thought it was.

WilliamCave, did you get served by a skinny French lady with dark hair?

[thenervoussurgeon]

The British embassy ,as much use as a chocolate spoon ,all the British staff are time serving paper shufflers 3rd grade. i think after they have scraped the barrel they send whats left to work in Thailand.

[WilliamCave]

I went to the Canadian embassy on Monday and I must say that the two staff that dealt with my application were two of the rudest people I've ever met.

Must of been the English man applying for Canadian citizenship that they didn't like. I think I might even make a complaint, that's how bad I thought it was.

WilliamCave, did you get served by a skinny French lady with dark hair?

No I went to the Thai side with my wife she was nice to deal with and gave me so good information. I know a few years ago it was like how dare you come and ask us questions and you want something done seemed to be there response and go look on the Internet was the only response I got before but this time they actuall gave me the forms and good info.

I do know they were really of no help before and they put up more road blocks to hinder every process that is the govt way in Canada Remember most govt employed are out of touch with the real world they are not responsible for there actions like the private sector. I come from Ottawa and most of my family works in govt I have never seen any govt employ fired before or dismissed.

[h90]

I went to the Canadian embassy on Monday and I must say that the two staff that dealt with my application were two of the rudest people I've ever met.

Must of been the English man applying for Canadian citizenship that they didn't like. I think I might even make a complaint, that's how bad I thought it was.

WilliamCave, did you get served by a skinny French lady with dark hair?

The rude one was a Thai or Canadian?

In the Austrian embassy the rude one are all Thais, the Austrians are friendly.

[JLCrab]

I don't know about other Embassies/Consulates, but I don't know that the US Embassy's Don't come see us -- we'll come see you aka 'Consular Outreach Program' which visits the major cities twice each year for routine matters is offered by any other country.

[Puyai]

I went to the Canadian embassy on Monday and I must say that the two staff that dealt with my application were two of the rudest people I've ever met.

Must of been the English man applying for Canadian citizenship that they didn't like. I think I might even make a complaint, that's how bad I thought it was.

WilliamCave, did you get served by a skinny French lady with dark hair?

The rude one was a Thai or Canadian?

In the Austrian embassy the rude one are all Thais, the Austrians are friendly.

The Thai lady was not great. The French lady was really unhelpful and down right rude. Like WilliamCave said above, it was like how dare you ask me how long your application will take, you'll get it when were ready to give it to you now f@#k off!!

[keemapoot]

I don't know about other Embassies/Consulates, but I don't know that the US Embassy's Don't come see us -- we'll come see you aka 'Consular Outreach Program' which visits the major cities twice each year for routine matters is offered by any other country.

That really is an excellent service. They go to Phuket, Khon Kaen, all sorts of remote locations where American expats are located. It saves a trip to Bangkok for many things. I don't know of any other country's Embassy that offers that?

[WilliamCave]

I don't know about other Embassies/Consulates, but I don't know that the US Embassy's Don't come see us -- we'll come see you aka 'Consular Outreach Program' which visits the major cities twice each year for routine matters is offered by any other country.

That really is an excellent service. They go to Phuket, Khon Kaen, all sorts of remote locations where American expats are located. It saves a trip to Bangkok for many things. I don't know of any other country's Embassy that offers that?

No I never heard of that before that is a good service. I think one poster said it already try get them out of Patpong or go see them there sure u will find many embassy employes there .

[evadgib]

A few years ago a national newspaper in UK held a "Best Dressed" & "Worst Dressed" contest for women in the public eye.

Maggie (then PM) won both categories....

Edited February 7, 2013 by evadgib

[JLCrab]

This is the Outreach schedule for Fiscal Year 2013: http://bangkok.usemb...r_outreach.html

General info on the outreach follows the schedule. A US Consul and a Thai speaking compatriot set up for 4 hours in the morning at one of the top-end hotels.

Edited February 7, 2013 by JLCrab

[melvinmelvin]

Pretty good stuff this US Outreach activity.

Its a win win. Saves people travelling to BKK.

Embassy avoids being clogged up with too much nitty gritty.

Staff gets to see and expefrience a bit of LoS outside of Mango.

[keemapoot]

Pretty good stuff this US Outreach activity.

Its a win win. Saves people travelling to BKK.

Embassy avoids being clogged up with too much nitty gritty.

Staff gets to see and expefrience a bit of LoS outside of Mango.

In Phuket, they always have it at the Le Meridien Beach resort, and they set up nice tables in the open air huge lobby, and it is very relaxed, cool and efficient. You can just show up in your beach wear. I used them once for I think extra passport pages.

[bunta71]

I don't know about other Embassies/Consulates, but I don't know that the US Embassy's Don't come see us -- we'll come see you aka 'Consular Outreach Program' which visits the major cities twice each year for routine matters is offered by any other country.

That really is an excellent service. They go to Phuket, Khon Kaen, all sorts of remote locations where American expats are located. It saves a trip to Bangkok for many things. I don't know of any other country's Embassy that offers that?

My wife went to an outreach by the Philippine embassy, held in Phuket

[keemapoot]

I don't know about other Embassies/Consulates, but I don't know that the US Embassy's Don't come see us -- we'll come see you aka 'Consular Outreach Program' which visits the major cities twice each year for routine matters is offered by any other country.

That really is an excellent service. They go to Phuket, Khon Kaen, all sorts of remote locations where American expats are located. It saves a trip to Bangkok for many things. I don't know of any other country's Embassy that offers that?

My wife went to an outreach by the Philippine embassy, held in Phuket

Yeah, that makes sense, there are loads of Philippine musicians and entertainers playing in all the night venues.

[flightcrew1]

Irish consulate in BKK have always been helpful and I only have dealt with the Thai staff. The answer the phones they call you when documents arrive and even call to the embassy in Kuala Lumpur to find out correct information. Of course getting things done is painfully slow as the documents are sent to Kuala Lumpur and then to Dublin and back again to Kuala Lumpur...well you get the picture.

[Thailand Bound]

Irish consulate in BKK have always been helpful and I only have dealt with the Thai staff. The answer the phones they call you when documents arrive and even call to the embassy in Kuala Lumpur to find out correct information. Of course getting things done is painfully slow as the documents are sent to Kuala Lumpur and then to Dublin and back again to Kuala Lumpur...well you get the picture.

Living the life luuxxxuury you are when dealing these embassies.

[marstons]

UK has to start with a minus on any scale, their mission statement and actual reality are miles apart. Not dealt with them for a few years but then utterly useless and I had to explain what a join unmarried partner visa meant, after having it turned down because of partners over stay on 6 month visitors visa. I had to point out that if they had turned the page in her passport or read form they would have seen a visa extension of 3 months granted in UK. Upper class public school boy oaff's . When making blogs recognized as visitors of the more entertaing parts of BKK. Clearly never going to make the grade as UK staff in USA

[Rooo]

Australian consulate, fast efficient, courteous & no hassles.

[lovelaos]

From my travels and dealings with British Embassies around the globe, they are substandard to say the least. You are seen as a nuisance and have a feeling you are disturbing their precious time.

From talking with colleagues and other travellers, the Americans seem to be treated well and I have heard very good reports about the Swedish Embassies in various locations.

As for here in Laos, we now finally have a British Embassy after having to deal with the pain in the a_se Australian Embassy here for decades.

I need to renew my passport soon so I will soon find out if they will be any different

[Thailand Bound]

Speaking of passport renewals, a few weeks ago, the US embassy did mine in exactly 2 weeks (10 business days). I did it before 9/11 and it took 20 minutes (back when the US embassies had the right to issue the passports themselves), I called ahead the day before, gave them my SSN, they checked it overnight and i was there the next day at 07:30. I was walking out before 8am passport in hand.

[MegaRanter]

The Nigerian embassy was really friendly when I lived in Bangkok. But one local skank charged my wife and son 8000 baht for for a visa that would have cost 64 dollars, but then you will use a credit card and fill out a forms online, which was a bit tasking for my missus, as her english skills are dquite rudimentary.

They really work extra hard, considering all the calls they get starting with, "excuse me, we have got ourselves a criminal(non sexual crimes) here saying he is from your native land ...........".

I had the opportunity of knowing most of the staff there over the years, and nearly all of them did go the extra mile in helping Nigerians in Thailand.