You should ask your own consulate to do the same. Makes for good relations between the countries.

So why would the US need such a large compound with so many employees? What are all those people doing?

The UK gets by with a consulate that has 2 local full-time hires and a (voluntary) honorary consul. You don't need an appointment and the staff are professional and pleasant.

Compare the 2 nations, one is the worlds leading economy, covering most of a continent with 300,000,000 people, the other is a small, nearly insignificant island nation.

UK--insignificant--what language are you speaking??

Admittedly, it will be Chinese in a few more years, but English will still have some 'users'.

amexpat, on 24 Feb 2013 - 22:08, said:

Have you noticed any changes in the last century or so?

Um, yeah, what's your point? Obviously changes have occurred. Duh.

Your joke (I assume) about the elephant was understood. Though when I see an elephant I see an elephant. Quite respected in most cultures. And I don't think the donkey is thought to be a symbol of tolerance, inclusion and openness if you want to take it that far as well. It's still just a jackass, or an animal that labors hard for humans historically. Created in the early 1800's, it was, I guess to you, a symbol of slavery. Still just a sweet hard working animal to me. And not now an official symbol of the Democratic Party.

So why would the US need such a large compound with so many employees? What are all those people doing?

The UK gets by with a consulate that has 2 local full-time hires and a (voluntary) honorary consul. You don't need an appointment and the staff are professional and pleasant.

Compare the 2 nations, one is the worlds leading economy, covering most of a continent with 300,000,000 people, the other is a small, nearly insignificant island nation.

I think you missed the point I was trying to make. I guess it wasn't clear.

Is the consulate serving Americans well? I've read posts on here that you need an appointment to enter, you wait weeks for an appointment and then you wait outside a high wall with no seating nor shade while you wait to enter and then the staff aren't particularly friendly or helpful anyway.

With reference to the comment "world's leading economy":

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

My first answer is to the need for such a large complex: It is just a matter that there are whole lot more Thais wanting to get visas to the U.S. than any of the other countries that have consulates in Chiang Mai. Coupled with that is the fact that the U.S. requires a lot more documentation and paperwork follow up than most of the other nations. In addition to that the U.S. has many more assistance programs going on in Thailand than most other nations and it takes people to run these programs.

About the need for an appointment to enter the U.S. Consulate: Yes an appointment is needed but for most services you can have that appiontment within a week. As for having to wait outside the wall for your appointment, that just is not true. If you arrive at the appointment time you will be allowed in and you will find a waiting area with seating and a TV to help pass the time.

Edited February 28, 201313 yr by BarnicaleBob