British Fco Abandons Locate Web Site

[astral]

The FCO is moving from a system where British nationals are encouraged to register when they travel in case there is a crisis,

to one where we are using a number of channels to give the latest information and advice on what you should do

if you need our help in a crisis and how to contact the FCO’s crisis response team.

This faster and more practical system supersedes the Locate system, which is used by less than 1% of British nationals overseas

so does not offer what we need to help British nationals in a crisis.

From 14 May we will no longer use the LOCATE system, instead using our resources to improve our travel advice service

and focus on those who most need our help.

Full details in the attached file

LocateRegistrant.pdf

or the web site

[astral]

They cannot even be bothered to get the Travel Advice in alphabetical order...............

Really pathetic.

Total abandonment of the old Registration system

where the local embassy had a list of residents in the event of emergencies.

Shame in the FCO

[HeavyDrinker]

When I go home I'm going to go to the FO in person and give them a bit...

You see if I don't and them who know me know I will...

[AyG]

Jolly good. I'm sure that the cost saving will be passed on, so they can now reduce the price of new passports.

[NanLaew]

The US Department of State maintains a system of Consular Wardens world-wide, including Thailand. Wardens are assigned on a geographical basis as well as on where US tourist citizens are likely to be encountered, such as Pattaya. The Wardens augment the US Embassy and local Consulates. The duties and responsibilities of the Warden is clearly defined as is their selection and training processes.

Do the Brits want Wardens and a visiting 'outpost' system like the US offers its citizens residing in Thailand? It does seem like a very efficient and friendly, localised effort that keeps government and citizen in touch. Every few months, US Embassy Consular staff set up a temporary office somewhere in the provinces with the assistance of the Wardens, to better serve their citizens living in more remote places. The government keeps tabs on the diaspora whilst the elderly, retired or incapacitated can have documentation needed for Thailand or the US validated, notarised or legalised without traveling to Bangkok.

However, I reckon the overwhelming amount of Brits, particularly the more recent arrivals with 'priors' probably have no intention of letting HM Government know where they are when they pop over from Cambodia in Thailand.

[theoldgit]

I do love the objectives "Consular Excellence" and "we will be the best Consular Service in the world", I really hope they will achieve these targets.

Actually I do find the Consular Section in Bangkok to be OK, I think they do a pretty good job, given the constraints and "efficiency savings" placed on them by central government.

However, am I the only one who objects to being referred to as a customer?

[astral]

I agree, I am a citizen, NOT a customer.

@NanLeaw

We do have a warden system for Brits here in the Middle East,

but without LOCATE it is no longer clear how to get on the list.

[Morden]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

[theoldgit]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

I remember attending a meeting with Jack Straw when he was Home Secretary, so it was a long time ago. He told me that different computer systems in different government departments were incompatible with each other so couldn't talk to each other, he added that even different departments within the Home Office couldn't talk to each other.

In my subsequent years of working for the government I never witnessed any willingness to address this issue.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[NanLaew]

I agree, I am a citizen, NOT a customer.

@NanLeaw

We do have a warden system for Brits here in the Middle East,

but without LOCATE it is no longer clear how to get on the list.

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

I remember attending a meeting with Jack Straw when he was Home Secretary, so it was a long time ago. He told me that different computer systems in different government departments were incompatible with each other so couldn't talk to each other, he added that even different departments within the Home Office couldn't talk to each other.

In my subsequent years of working for the government I never witnessed any willingness to address this issue.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I lived in the US before, through and for about five years after 9/11. Before that event, there was similarly little interface between law enforcement and government agency databases. That has changed significantly since the Department of Homeland Security was created and the Patriot Act drafted. Maybe the UK needs to invest in something a bit more invasive that CCTV camera's on every street corner in order to better control the masses.

I don't recall anything invasive about the LOCATE questionnaire unless one was claiming unemployment or housing benefits and other income relief but living in LOS.

[Eesat]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

Really,I thought it was just because they've shown on numerous occasions that they really couldn't give a toss for any British Nationals,nor any bad situations they might find themselves in whether self-inflicted or not!

[Morden]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

Really,I thought it was just because they've shown on numerous occasions that they really couldn't give a toss for any British Nationals,nor any bad situations they might find themselves in whether self-inflicted or not!

Probably that too.

One reason for the register is that Brits. can be traced if family back home have urgent need for contact. I deal with that issue by keeping in touch.

[AyG]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

Really,I thought it was just because they've shown on numerous occasions that they really couldn't give a toss for any British Nationals,nor any bad situations they might find themselves in whether self-inflicted or not!

Like after the Asian tsunami, they did virtually nothing, and certainly didn't attempt to contact me even though I was registered.

And now, they post a general message, rather than attempting to contact those who are actually registered.

As in seemingly everything they do, hopelessly pathetic.

[draftvader]

I registered with Locate back in 2006 in Bolivia citing my reason as using the Chaco border crossing into Paraguay. Since then Bolivia has gone through a variety of political rallies and upheavals to get Evo Morales into position as the president and Paraguay has had similar. I never ONCE received any e-mail and I thought I had been unsubscribed.....until just recently when I received an e-mail telling me that Maggie Thatcher had died (albiet 3 days AFTER the event!).

(S)Locate morelike!

[astral]

The lack of messages does seem to be down to individual embassies and even consuls

Our current consul is hopeless, but his two predecessors were very good

at keeping in touch with the expat population.

PS I do not understand the complaint about the info requested on Locate

Name

Address

Phone number

Medical insurance if you wanted to

Hardly intrusive?

[Eesat]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

Really,I thought it was just because they've shown on numerous occasions that they really couldn't give a toss for any British Nationals,nor any bad situations they might find themselves in whether self-inflicted or not!

Like after the Asian tsunami, they did virtually nothing, and certainly didn't attempt to contact me even though I was registered.

And now, they post a general message, rather than attempting to contact those who are actually registered.

As in seemingly everything they do, hopelessly pathetic.

I was actually talking about the FCO/Foreign Office/British Embassies/Consulates network,not Locate!

[Phronesis]

The people are traveling to ESCAPE the nanny state.

OF COURSE they are not going to register....

Idiots...

[sustento]

I agree, I am a citizen, NOT a customer.

@NanLeaw

We do have a warden system for Brits here in the Middle East,

but without LOCATE it is no longer clear how to get on the list.

>

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

I remember attending a meeting with Jack Straw when he was Home Secretary, so it was a long time ago. He told me that different computer systems in different government departments were incompatible with each other so couldn't talk to each other, he added that even different departments within the Home Office couldn't talk to each other.

In my subsequent years of working for the government I never witnessed any willingness to address this issue.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I lived in the US before, through and for about five years after 9/11. Before that event, there was similarly little interface between law enforcement and government agency databases. That has changed significantly since the Department of Homeland Security was created and the Patriot Act drafted. Maybe the UK needs to invest in something a bit more invasive that CCTV camera's on every street corner in order to better control the masses.

There are no CCTV cameras on any street corner within 5 miles of my house. You don't want to believe everything you read in the papers.

[lovelaos]

"we will be the best Consular Service in the world"

[lungbing]

I am registered with LOCATE, and have been for some years. You can only register for a year at a time so need to remember to re-register a year later.

Until I read this post I didn't know the service was finishing. Despite being registered with my current email address they couln't even be bothered to tell me.

[NanLaew]

I agree, I am a citizen, NOT a customer.

@NanLeaw

We do have a warden system for Brits here in the Middle East,

but without LOCATE it is no longer clear how to get on the list.

>

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

I remember attending a meeting with Jack Straw when he was Home Secretary, so it was a long time ago. He told me that different computer systems in different government departments were incompatible with each other so couldn't talk to each other, he added that even different departments within the Home Office couldn't talk to each other.

In my subsequent years of working for the government I never witnessed any willingness to address this issue.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I lived in the US before, through and for about five years after 9/11. Before that event, there was similarly little interface between law enforcement and government agency databases. That has changed significantly since the Department of Homeland Security was created and the Patriot Act drafted. Maybe the UK needs to invest in something a bit more invasive that CCTV camera's on every street corner in order to better control the masses.

There are no CCTV cameras on any street corner within 5 miles of my house. You don't want to believe everything you read in the papers.

I don't need to believe everything I read; I can see it with my own eyes. So you live in a smaller town or a village in the country; so do I (when in the castle back home) but in the cities it is a very different matter.

That's where the 'masses' live btw, in the cities.

[7by7]

I can't comment on the actual topic as I don't live abroad.

But would like to say that myself and my neighbours in the block of flats where we live (large town centre) have been trying to get our landlord to install CCTV for years in the hope that doing so would stop people using our car park to take a dump, fly tipping in our bins, vandalising our cars etc.

CCTV cameras help catch 1,000 London criminals

These cameras are their for a reason, it's not as if the government install them inside people's homes!

[astral]

There are no CCTV cameras on any street corner within 5 miles of my house. You don't want to believe everything you read in the papers.

Can't speak for the US, but the UK is like that now.

Big Brother IS watching.

Also it is not just government.

Businesses have CCTV possibly watching the street outside..............

[astral]

I am registered with LOCATE, and have been for some years. You can only register for a year at a time so need to remember to re-register a year later.

Until I read this post I didn't know the service was finishing. Despite being registered with my current email address they couln't even be bothered to tell me.

Strange, that is the way I found out,

a message from Locate

I do agree that the one year limit was a pain when you live overseas

rather than just being a tourist.

[7by7]

There are no CCTV cameras on any street corner within 5 miles of my house. You don't want to believe everything you read in the papers.

Can't speak for the US, but the UK is like that now.

Big Brother IS watching.

Also it is not just government.

Businesses have CCTV possibly watching the street outside..............

And those cameras are there to dissuade/catch criminals; I refer you to the link in my previous.

Apart from traffic cameras, which are there to help keep traffic moving.

Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear.

Until and unless 'they' start putting cameras inside our homes.

But maybe they have, maybe your TV watches you while you watch it!

I'll get my tinfoil hat!

[astral]

Cameras monitoring the number plate of every vehicle entering London

is way beyond just catching criminals.

And also off topic, which is about the abandonment of Locate

[7by7]

Not all of London, just the congestion charge zone.

If you are driving into the congestion charge zone for an innocent purpose, what have you got to fear? Apart from the penalty for not paying your congestion charge on time.

I'm not really in favour of congestion charging, anyway; but this thread has already moving way off topic, so best not to discuss that here!

[homeownership]

There are no CCTV cameras on any street corner within 5 miles of my house. You don't want to believe everything you read in the papers.

Can't speak for the US, but the UK is like that now.

Big Brother IS watching.

Also it is not just government.

Businesses have CCTV possibly watching the street outside..............

Have you see the UK crime figures. Crime is falling to its lowest ever level on record. CCTV is working. The great thing about CCTV is there really is nothing to hide, nothing to fear.

[johnnybgood]

I registered with Locate here in Thailand years ago..... in preparation for my future pension payments. [fingers crossed]

I'm near positive it said that the B.E. would not do annual affirmations if not registered.

Nice of them to let us all know. It won't be missed.

[SamsonSW]

The reason that few Brits. registered with Locate is that too many personal questions were asked, the answers to which could be passed to any British government agency.

I remember attending a meeting with Jack Straw when he was Home Secretary, so it was a long time ago. He told me that different computer systems in different government departments were incompatible with each other so couldn't talk to each other, he added that even different departments within the Home Office couldn't talk to each other.

In my subsequent years of working for the government I never witnessed any willingness to address this issue.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

There is no need for UK government departments to cross-tabulate their data in order to profile their citizens activities in depth.

They just put in a request to the US spy agencies and can get much more complete information, including content of email/phone calls thank you very much.