British Embassy Incompetancy.

[billd766]

I had a great experience with our embassy in Hong Kong, a middling experience in Dubai and a lousy experience in Cambodia (where they can't even supply the phone number of the passport collection place in Phnom Penh). This passports from the UK lark is stupid; it puts people at risk of breaking the law (expired visas, etc.) and of being stuck somewhere if civil war etc. should break out. But expats don't and often can't vote. So they don't care.

They do (and can) vote in UK elections if they've moved away within the last 15 years. For example I've just re-registered to vote in the constituency where I lived prior to moving out to LOS 6 years ago in protest at the generally shabby treatment we Brit expats here receive at the hands of the UK government. Fortunately I still have a trusted mate of mine living in that constituency who will act as my proxy (which is the only practical way of casting one's vote from Thailand).

Not that my vote will, in practice, count for anything in next year's General Election, but I will hopefully feel a whole lot better for having been able to cast it.

It's 10 years not 15. And in general they don't vote even if they can. I have a friend who spends a lot of time with the ambassador to a country in Indochina; when he asked why the passport fiasco was disproportionately affecting expats he was told; "Because they don't vote." Doesn't get much clearer than that does it?

I've nothing to vote FOR in the UK and voting AGAINST doesn't thrill me in the slightest. I want a party that takes a common sense, scientific approach to issues where possible and seeks fairness in income distribution and societal benefits. None of the parties stand for anything like this. I don't want to vote for racists (BNP, EDL, UKIP, etc.), I don't want to vote for the wealthy (Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems), I want to vote for something that might just make the UK a better place to be. There are no options for this and no, I don't have the several million pounds required to start a party and cough up the deposit on 600+ seats around the nation either.

It IS actually 15 years as the electoral roll officer told me because if it was 10 years I would have missed out.

http://www.expatinfodesk.com/expat-guide/nationality-specific-information/british/voting-rights/

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/journalist/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-campaigns/british-expatriates-its-your-vote,-dont-lose-it-urges-elections-watchdog-on-overseas-registration-day

[billd766]

I was doing my affirmation to marry last week , there must have 20 or 30 people doing the same , or getting documents notarized , not bad money at 3k a pop. Didn't see one Farang behind the counter in the hour I was there. I'm sorry but its a piss take

Yes, if we ignore the over-paid and under-worked Ambassador's cost (free luxury accommodation for him and his wife, servants, free travel and very nice salary), I am guessing that along with the nice annual accrual of the Embassy property value, the place makes a tidy little profit! How can it not with all the ridiculously high service fees it charges for a few minutes actual work ?

Most of us know about how seriously some of the previous Ambassadors took their responsibilities (not), is the current one any better? I've not met him, but it appears NOT again to me......

Actually the embassy cosular charges are laid down in the UK and the UK embassies world wide have NO choice in what to charge.

I believe a large portion of those fees are remitted to the UK FCO "general" funds.

[cyborgx]

I find it amusing that someone here mentions that the East is passing the West when it comes to customer relations, and suggests we should learn from them.

Whilst at the same time slags of the British embassy for employing Thai staff....Irony always was my favorite form of wit.

In the end treat people with respect and decency, you will be amazed how far it gets you.

It was me, but before you go getting all amused and ironic, read what I said properly.

I said that the East has learned the "value of good service" i.e. managers and sales people realize that they sell more and get repeat business with good manners and good service. That doesn't necessarily mean that ALL Eastern staff are well trained and well mannered, especially in the case of the British Embassy it seems, where people are clearly saying the service on the whole is pretty awful. Also in this case, the man at the top making the decisions at the high level is NOT from the East anyway, so the improvement I was referring to does not apply to the British Embassy! Also the complaints about the Embassy are not just about the bad manners (and lack of empathy and help) of the staff, but also about the very limited and very expensive services they offer, as well as their apparent total lack of flexibility too.

Sheesh, why don't people read things properly, and think before they engage their mouth (or fingers in this case)...... I love a bit of irony, but none here in this case, just failure to properly read before making comments....

[cyborgx]

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I was doing my affirmation to marry last week , there must have 20 or 30 people doing the same , or getting documents notarized , not bad money at 3k a pop. Didn't see one Farang behind the counter in the hour I was there. I'm sorry but its a piss take

Yes, if we ignore the over-paid and under-worked Ambassador's cost (free luxury accommodation for him and his wife, servants, free travel and very nice salary), I am guessing that along with the nice annual accrual of the Embassy property value, the place makes a tidy little profit! How can it not with all the ridiculously high service fees it charges for a few minutes actual work ?

Most of us know about how seriously some of the previous Ambassadors took their responsibilities (not), is the current one any better? I've not met him, but it appears NOT again to me......

Its embarrassing isnt it , The Thai embassy in London its not luxurious but its in a decent area and a nice building. While us Brits in Bangkok have to go to what looks like an early 80s dole office in Sheffield

Last time I went to get some paperwork down, I personally didn't find the waiting room at all bad, but perhaps they've moved it again since I was last there. On the other hand, the Ambassador's accomodation was VERY NICE last time I saw it!!

[brewsterbudgen]

My brother became an American and joined their foreign service where he has done consular work. He is staggered when I tell about the practices in the consular section of the British Embassy in Bangkok. The Americans don't hire any local staff to provide consular services or approve visas because they regard that as a conflict of interests. Local staff are hired to liaise with the host country officials but not to interface with US nationals or visa applicants. Americans have to pass a serious level exam in Thai before they come to the US Embassy in Bangkok, so they don't need Thai staff to interview visa applicants. In contrast the British Embassy is absolute cheapskate as you can get. I haven't seen a Brit working in the consular section for years and all the vice-consuls seem to be Thais, although I am sure they still have one British consul at the embassy. I have sometimes asked for things that were too complicated for the Thai vice-consuls to comprehend and the result is either that they refuse rudely to deal with it and bang the window shut or I eventually get a call from a British consul about a week later. There is one particularly revolting old Thai hag there who is about as thick as two short planks and equally aggressive.

Even most of the Brits who work at the embassy, like the ones who occasionally visit British prisoners or deal with dead bodies, or even the ones in charge of security are not part of the FCO. They are just unemployed English teachers and the like who are willing to work cheap for B30,000 a month. The whole thing is absolutely pathetic and a disgrace. If they were even slightly effective at promoting trade and investment, which is all HM Government now thinks is important, it wouldn't be quite so bad.

The ECOs who issue visas for the UK at the British Embassy are British civil servants, although they are assisted by Thais.

Edited September 9, 2014 by brewsterbudgen

[cyborgx]

I was doing my affirmation to marry last week , there must have 20 or 30 people doing the same , or getting documents notarized , not bad money at 3k a pop. Didn't see one Farang behind the counter in the hour I was there. I'm sorry but its a piss take

Yes, if we ignore the over-paid and under-worked Ambassador's cost (free luxury accommodation for him and his wife, servants, free travel and very nice salary), I am guessing that along with the nice annual accrual of the Embassy property value, the place makes a tidy little profit! How can it not with all the ridiculously high service fees it charges for a few minutes actual work ?

Most of us know about how seriously some of the previous Ambassadors took their responsibilities (not), is the current one any better? I've not met him, but it appears NOT again to me......

Actually the embassy cosular charges are laid down in the UK and the UK embassies world wide have NO choice in what to charge.

I believe a large portion of those fees are remitted to the UK FCO "general" funds.

They may be based on some guidelines or basic charges, but it appears to me that not all of them can be set by the UK, since some will depend upon local costs which the UK have no knowledge of. I'm guessing here, so don't quote me as stating facts. Whoever makes them up, in a lot of cases, they are far too expensive relative to the actual work involved.

As far as where the money goes, you may well be correct, but that still doesn't change the fact that ignoring the cost of the Ambassador, they are highly likely to be making a tidy profit on the overpriced and limited services they provide. It also seems quite clear that unless there is a service fee involved they are not very interested in helping.........