Australian arrested in Pattaya for threatening Australian embassy

[Chao Lao Beach]

I challenge any one to go to the Australian Embassy in Bangkok and play, "Spot The Aussie" and speak to an Australian accent in under two hours.

I know I will win a carton of beer in that bet.

This guy threatening is just stupid, there is no doubt about that, I mean what does he seriously expect that to get him ????

However, some of the local staff involved are very inconstant.

Edited August 17, 2013 by Chao Lao Beach

[Perry2010]

I haven't even replied to a thread on this forum for yonks. Still I get email with the thai headlines, even though I finally escaped.

Myself, I was stuck in Thailand for five years, fighting to get my daughter back home. Her mother gave her to me voluntarily at 3 weeks old and I've looked after her ever since.

The embassy, even though she was a citizen was adamant that she'd never be allowed to leave thailand. That is even though I had been to court about seven times in the thai family courts. Their stance was that both birth parents needed to be involved, that was the rules and there was no way around it. It did not matter that the mother was no longer in her life, her location was unknown, and I had reams of court documents to prove it.

Needless to say, I was on a plane 11 hours later after I finally got her passport. It was an ordeal I will never forget.

So instead of jumping on here and having a go at this bloke who is at least fighting for his daughter ( his methods of course I do not condone) instead of just heading back home and leaving some bird to look after his kid on her own, try and understand his frustration Going back home alone is what 99% of the blokes that come here do. No I do not have scientific evidence to support that but it is by direct observation. In every country village I lived in there were ladies that had luk kreung kids that the pops had bailed on.

Even though I would not have gone as far as threatening bodily harm to myself or the staff, I will admit to the highest level of frustration at the situation, as I felt trapped in a country that did not want me there, nor could I leave because I was all my daughter had. The proverbial catch 22. The Thai governments immigration told me that they did not have a visa for my situation when I was working through this, and that I should overstay my visa! The oz embassy flatly told me I could leave at any time, if I'd just put my australian citizen daughter in a thai orphanage. How do you think that made me feel?

We're both out of the country, now, she's in school and I'm working on my book outlining this experience. I hope that others will learn that, in some places, doing the right thing that we were taught will get you in more trouble and more heart ache than you could even dream of.

I used to think those blokes that leave these poor simple girls with unwanted and unsupported kids were just immature and selfish. I believed I was taught to be a man and take responsibility for my actions.

I sincerely doubt I would do the same thing again. It's just a situation that I hope others can avoid. I'd not wish my experience, or this particular blokes situation and subsequent reaction to it - on my worst enemy.

My bet is that you found Thai immigration much more helpful and understanding than the Australian Embassy.

I would have hated to have gone through what you did, I walked out of Thailand in December 2012 with my 11 month old with only his passport and birth certificate. Both the Thai and Australian embassies told me it was legal for me to do so

[rotary]

Sounds like he might not need custody anyway

[dudu]

I guess the feeling is,that if i am gonna be screwed, at least let me be screwed by a fellow Australian, at the Australian embassy, not some one local who works there, after all, i am Australian,they are not, thats what makes it a bit awkward ,frustrating and aggravating i guess...this is not a statement,just a general feeling i get from this thread....

Edited August 17, 2013 by dudu

[nosatisfaction]

As verbal abusing the Embassy will give you what you want.

What a wancker!!

better get physical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

55555555555555

[Dr Robert]

whilst no one can condone unlawful behaviour such as what is alleged of this poor soul, natural empathy for his terrible situation must be exercised by decent thinking people. Imagine the grief and sense of loss he feels; consider he may not have the emotional or intellectual tools to deal effectively with his situation. He needs help, not the condemnation of some of you arrogant ignorant blowhards making flatulent utterances. Heaven help you if you find yourself in a similar situation.

[simple1]

A child born overseas to an Australian national and registered with the Australian embassy is automatically an Australian citizen, he should have stayed cool, taken the daughter on a holiday to Grandma in oz and stayed there, chances would have been slightly better and the payoff,more affordable......anyway..

As he did not have sole custody awarded by a Thai court, requires Thai mothers written permission for the child to depart Thailand

That is incorrect, I brought by 11 month old son back to Australia (December 2012) to live when I split up with my wife. All I had was his passport and birth certificate (we had already contacted the Australian and Thai embassies and they both said that I didn't require anything other than his passport) and we left Thailand and entered Australia with no problems. As long as there are no court restrictions children can leave Thailand freely with their father or a relative.

A Thai embassy has nothing to do with a child visa for entry to Australia, so do not understand your comment. I assume you had to comply to the requirements for a child visa under the age of 18 as documented at:

http://www.thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/DIAC_Visa_children.html

[harrry]

Although I have been critical of the local staff at the Australian Embassy it is fair to point out that in most functions they perform well and in an acceptible manner. Where things go wrong is where the issue is not straight forward and they react for example in a way that a Thai would expecting total non questioning of authority or action.

[louse1953]

he does not look like a PhD...

Oh yer,what does a PhD look like!

[Bagwan]

I wonder what's in the photo? The offended telephone at the embassy?

No.

It's of the animals he referred the embassy people as.

Police: look at this pictures mate, did you call the counsellor a Kwai?

Aussie: I plead the 5th.

Police: you called him an idiot then?

Aussie: I still want me daughter, can you help? I ll make it worth your while.

what's the 5th?????

Apparently someone thinks the 5th Amendment to the US Constitution applies to Aussies in Thailand.

I thought it was the amount of booze that in the US is squeezed into a bottle.

[paulchiangmai]

Probably true I have been there 3 times and never seen an Australian working there just Thais with minimal English even the consulate in Chiangmai is Thai and can hardly speak English very difficult to communicate with her. There may have been a cultural/communication problem but then again the aussie may have just been an obnoxious <deleted>.

Are you telling me that Mr Michael Walther in no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai? In my infrequent dealings with the Chiang Mai consulate I have found his English to be perfect [ I believe he was born in England] and at all times very helpful. If he is no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai I would appreciate someone confirming it.

[harrry]

he does not look like a PhD...

Oh yer,what does a PhD look like!

Just look at the person behind the counter at Maccas.,....probably has one.

[RigPig]

What unlawful act? Sending a picture of himself holding a toy gun at his own head !!!

If that isn't a cry for compassion, sympathy and emphasizing his frustration I don't know what is!!!

The Thai police sided with the mother (surprise surprise) as did the Thai national embassy staff probably, and the guy felt he was banging his head against a brick wall!!!

He didn't want his child staying with an abusive Thai mother and wanted a future for his offspring.

Jeez I hope this never happens to any of you guys out there, I admire the guy for at least not giving in, taking responsibility and doing what ever he can. He has at least drawn some attention to his plight, hopefully in Aus too!!!

[Emdog]

I have a hard time understanding how pointing a gun at one's own head is a threat to someone else, in this case the Australian embassy. Maybe it is the threat of paperwork and hassles of shipping the body back to Oz? Seems the lad has anger management issues and maybe the Thai court did the right thing giving mom custody.

[Rimmer]

One post with unattributed quotes in coloured fonts removed also quoted reply and a one post in caps removed

[harrry]

Probably true I have been there 3 times and never seen an Australian working there just Thais with minimal English even the consulate in Chiangmai is Thai and can hardly speak English very difficult to communicate with her. There may have been a cultural/communication problem but then again the aussie may have just been an obnoxious <deleted>.

Are you telling me that Mr Michael Walther in no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai? In my infrequent dealings with the Chiang Mai consulate I have found his English to be perfect [ I believe he was born in England] and at all times very helpful. If he is no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai I would appreciate someone confirming it.

I think chooka must be refering to the person in the office. As far as I know Mr Walther is. I will let you know in a week or so as I have to come down to see them next week.

[louse1953]

The last lot of people I would ask for any help is the Australian Embassy in any Country. I speak from a family members first hand experience some time ago in England.

Also point out that it was the Australian Embassy that notified the Indonesian Police in Bali that had 9 Aussies grabbed as they left Bali with heroin knowing that it meant the execution of them as a probable sentence.

I despise these 'Dealers in Death' BUT the Australian edict is that a Country that has execution as the penalty will not receive their offenders.

By the way the info was that good they could have just scooped them off the Plane as it landed in Sydney. Now it is claimed 'a mistake'

BUT , they have spent Time , Effort & Money to help Chapelle Corby in a Bali Jail a Convicted Drug Dealer ,because of the publicity she had generated. The Australian Embassies are totally Inconsistent , which makes them next to useless to Australians.

I M O

It was the Australian Federal Police (AFP) who notified Indonesian police, not Embassy consular staff.

Yes,and it was the father of one of the lads,that told the Feds.Also asked them to arrest them on Ozzy soil,so as not to get death penalty.To hard for Feds.,smack would have got through if not for Dad lagging his son in.If my memory serves me right,the 18 year old got 20 years,on appeal,upgraded to death penalty.

[dudu]

I have a hard time understanding how pointing a gun at one's own head is a threat to someone else, in this case the Australian embassy. Maybe it is the threat of paperwork and hassles of shipping the body back to Oz? Seems the lad has anger management issues and maybe the Thai court did the right thing giving mom custody.

I guess a father or mother would even kill, if they felt their child's life was threatened, hasn't much to do with anger.

[chooka]

I guess the feeling is,that if i am gonna be screwed, at least let me be screwed by a fellow Australian, at the Australian embassy, not some one local who works there, after all, i am Australian,they are not, thats what makes it a bit awkward ,frustrating and aggravating i guess...this is not a statement,just a general feeling i get from this thread....

To the staff (Thai's) at the embassy you are still a farang, a foreigner in their eyes even tho you are technically on Australian soil and Thai customs and loss of face still apply in the Australian embassy as you are not dealing with Australians, you are dealing with Thais so the normal respect and thai customs apply

[Bagwan]

I sympathize with him. He's already very upset over his child custody problem and to deal with sociopathic government drones on top of that cannot be easy.

I would say that embassy consular staff must deal with abusive calls on a regular basis when citizens are informed on what consular staff can and cannot do for them, yet no action is taken. As a complete assumption I would say that he went too far when threatening consular staff that lead them - AFP? - to decide to get the RTP involved.

I would guess that people he met in Thailand had misinformed him of his "rights" compounding his frustration and anger.

My guess is the person he spoke to may have been a Thai. Possibly an Australian citizen or someone who had studied in Australia but not someone who had lived there their whole life. When someone is upset and talking to the Australian Embassy they probably expect people to react and think in the same way as a person in an australian office does. Local staff however competant cannot give the same cultural context.

The fact is they employ security guards that do not even have a basic understanding of <deleted> English.

Then what chance that they understand understand 'strine'?

I held a lengthy conversation with a lady from London when I was working in the US. We spoke in Cockney slang and the locals didn't understand a word. I understand about every third word when talking to a Geordie or a Scouser. Just as well I guess as they never have anything interesting to say.

[slipperx]

How nice to see the Embassy now coming clean about the fact that they have no intention of helping their citizens abroad, rather looking to get them into trouble.

A man is distraught over his child and loses his cool and the Embassy has the understanding of a brick. It shows the apathy and distain by bureaucrats

[Monkeyrobot]

What a Clown!!

Makes me almost ashamed to be Australian when creatures such as this make idiots of themselves in Thailand. However, it must be said that he "looks" like a good upstanding, clean-cut example of a young Aussie and our Embassy should fall over backwards to race to his assistance and staff at the Embassy should be more than willing to take on-board whatever foul utterances he wishes to make. Yeh, and "Pigs can fly!"

Pack him up, send him back where he came from and toss him in jail to learn a lesson in good manners.

Your a bit harsh, send him to jail ? maybe he was at the end of his tether due the circumstances & in the heat of the moment lost control. I kind of feel sorry for the guy. I wonder what he said? If it was death threats then that's a different matter ,maybe he just told them to get fxxxxd & the person on the other end off the phone was having a bad day. Custody battles are always stressful & can end up messy.

[louse1953]

What is he being charged with?

I have had very mixed experiences with both the Australian embassy and visa process centre. The biggest problem is obviously that when you go to either of these places you are dealing with someone that is in uniform as such. They carry the typical I'm in uniform so I'm important Thai attitude.

Our culture is just far too different for Thai people to have any position at the embassy regardless of their training.

My wife also mentioned to me that they spoke very bad to Thai people. Did not explain procedures clearly and generally made you feel an idiot. So much so my wife now refuses to go to the visa processing centre.

I have now happily relocated back to Oz after spending 4 years in Thailand. All I miss is cheap liquor and cheap women as to be honest I feel Thailand offers little else compared to Oz.

Don't miss long suffering wife then!I, on the other hand,have had nothing but help from Thai people in the visa section,went out of their way on one occasion.I find that treat people how i would like to be treated,works for me.

[Bagwan]

One of the primary rules to observe when in Thailand. NEVER lose your temper. Not only is it counter productive but you'll be considered a fool.

[chooka]

Probably true I have been there 3 times and never seen an Australian working there just Thais with minimal English even the consulate in Chiangmai is Thai and can hardly speak English very difficult to communicate with her. There may have been a cultural/communication problem but then again the aussie may have just been an obnoxious <deleted>.

Are you telling me that Mr Michael Walther in no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai? In my infrequent dealings with the Chiang Mai consulate I have found his English to be perfect [ I believe he was born in England] and at all times very helpful. If he is no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai I would appreciate someone confirming it.

I think chooka must be refering to the person in the office. As far as I know Mr Walther is. I will let you know in a week or so as I have to come down to see them next week.

Australian Consulate

Jinda Charoen Konsong

236 Chiangmai-Doi Saket Road

Amphur Sansai

Chiang Mai, THAILAND

Telephone: (66 8) 1837-7750

http://www.thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/consular.html

Jinda is appointed by the Aust Dept of Foreign Affairs as the honourary consulate, not Mr Walther.

Edited August 17, 2013 by chooka

[louse1953]

I sympathize with him. He's already very upset over his child custody problem and to deal with sociopathic government drones on top of that cannot be easy.

I would say that embassy consular staff must deal with abusive calls on a regular basis when citizens are informed on what consular staff can and cannot do for them, yet no action is taken. As a complete assumption I would say that he went too far when threatening consular staff that lead them - AFP? - to decide to get the RTP involved.

I would guess that people he met in Thailand had misinformed him of his "rights" compounding his frustration and anger.

My guess is the person he spoke to may have been a Thai. Possibly an Australian citizen or someone who had studied in Australia but not someone who had lived there their whole life. When someone is upset and talking to the Australian Embassy they probably expect people to react and think in the same way as a person in an australian office does. Local staff however competant cannot give the same cultural context.

The fact is they employ security guards that do not even have a basic understanding of <deleted> English.

What!!!Security process visas now.I knew Oz was going rough.

[Perry2010]

A child born overseas to an Australian national and registered with the Australian embassy is automatically an Australian citizen, he should have stayed cool, taken the daughter on a holiday to Grandma in oz and stayed there, chances would have been slightly better and the payoff,more affordable......anyway..

As he did not have sole custody awarded by a Thai court, requires Thai mothers written permission for the child to depart Thailand

That is incorrect, I brought by 11 month old son back to Australia (December 2012) to live when I split up with my wife. All I had was his passport and birth certificate (we had already contacted the Australian and Thai embassies and they both said that I didn't require anything other than his passport) and we left Thailand and entered Australia with no problems. As long as there are no court restrictions children can leave Thailand freely with their father or a relative.

A Thai embassy has nothing to do with a child visa for entry to Australia, so do not understand your comment. I assume you had to comply to the requirements for a child visa under the age of 18 as documented at:

http://www.thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/DIAC_Visa_children.html

I contacted the Thai embassy to see what the requirements were for leaving Thailand (they have everything to do with us leaving Thailand). I did his Australian citizenship when he was a couple of days old and as soon as that came through I did his passport. He didn't require a visa for Australia, so to answer your assumption "NO"

[harrry]

Are you telling me that Mr Michael Walther in no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai? In my infrequent dealings with the Chiang Mai consulate I have found his English to be perfect [ I believe he was born in England] and at all times very helpful. If he is no longer the consulate in Chiang Mai I would appreciate someone confirming it.

I think chooka must be refering to the person in the office. As far as I know Mr Walther is. I will let you know in a week or so as I have to come down to see them next week.

Australian Consulate

Jinda Charoen Konsong

236 Chiangmai-Doi Saket Road

Amphur Sansai

Chiang Mai, THAILAND

Telephone: (66 8) 1837-7750

Yes that is Mike Walthers company.

[Perry2010]

A child born overseas to an Australian national and registered with the Australian embassy is automatically an Australian citizen, he should have stayed cool, taken the daughter on a holiday to Grandma in oz and stayed there, chances would have been slightly better and the payoff,more affordable......anyway..

As he did not have sole custody awarded by a Thai court, requires Thai mothers written permission for the child to depart Thailand

think this statement if incorrect as my daughter has left Thailand with me (father) no permission needed from the mother

I 100% agree with you that this is incorrect, my son left with me and I had no permission

[harrry]

A child born overseas to an Australian national and registered with the Australian embassy is automatically an Australian citizen, he should have stayed cool, taken the daughter on a holiday to Grandma in oz and stayed there, chances would have been slightly better and the payoff,more affordable......anyway..

As he did not have sole custody awarded by a Thai court, requires Thai mothers written permission for the child to depart Thailand

think this statement if incorrect as my daughter has left Thailand with me (father) no permission needed from the mother

I 100% agree with you that this is incorrect, my son left with me and I had no permission

The problem arises with the issuing of an Australian Passsport. It needs the consent of both parties but in the absense of this a majistrate can order a passport to be issued and it is a simple application if no contact. Who kn0ows what the know alls told him.