Australian consul in CM

[masuk]

to my local knowledge and experience ,there is only one

doi saket road sans sai

micheal u will find is a great fair dinkum aussie,who had alexander downer as one of his students.

he can do all as u requested,but it would be very wise to book a appiontment,not just rock up

the very best of luck cobber

Here's a Google Street view of the Australian Consul's workplace.

I don't think there is a street number in the entire highway.

[evenstevens]

It's a business - builder supplies, concrete pavers, statues, fountains etc. I don't know the name of the business, but if anyone else does I'm sure they'll post it here, or perhaps someone is going there for a Stat Dec or something over the next few days, or even just driving past if you live out that way.

I have an email address for it but I don't know if he wants it spread around - probably OK, but unless I knew that for certain, I can't bring myself to pass it on to anyone. He really is a lovely man, and very generous with his time too.

So the Consulate is housed within a business premises?

Not an actual separate Australian Consulate?

If so, it's good to know they are being frugal, but hard to believe!

Governments usually love swinging their big diplomatic dicks, with extravagant palaces in toney neighbourhoods, at our expense, of course.

Some of the Embassies of tinpot countries I've seen in London, and other capitals in my time, beggar belief, and probably half the country they represent.

Do I have an issue with Government profligacy in general? Perhaps... :-)

Its not a consulate per se...but rather a Honorary Consul. As such they do not do the full range of duties and is more of lifeline and assistance when can type role, as well as Austrade/Education type opportunity promotions. Al lot of these Honorary roles are given to the individual rather than the city as such. If the Honorary Consul resigns or moves on it does not create an automatic vacancy.

Perth had a Honorary Thai consulate for many years served by an ex ADF senior officer who served several years in Thailand as an advisor, acquiring a few Thai awards. When he retired there was no honorary consulate for a few years and what there is now is a poor shadow of the good Brigadier Jamieson.

A real loss when he finally moved on to a well earned rest. May sound odd, but he was one of those people who make you realise how little you achieve in life but a great bloke. Rest assured you got your moneys worth of Government service from this gem......a good consul a great man.

Brigadier William Drayton Jamieson Honorary Consul-General of WA

Brigadier W.D. (Bill) Jamieson was invited by His Majesty The King of Thailand to become Honorary Consul-General for Thailand in Western Australia on his retirement from the Australian Army in 1978. He is a Patron of the Thai-Australian Association and is actively involved with the Thai community. In 1997 His Majesty appointed him a Knight Commander of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand and in 2004 a Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of The White Elephant. In 2001 he was elected Vice Dean of the Consular Corps of Western Australia. His military career included Active Service in New Guinea in World War II as well as in Korea and Viet Nam. He also served in the United Kingdom and India and spent two years in Thailand as the Senior Australian Defence Officer with the South East Asia Treaty Organisation.

^^^^^^nicely said cobber

the day my super agent made a appointment with hon gen micheal walther, i had the company of two other aussies,we were driven to his office by our super agents daughter,it was around eleven also

during our short drive, one aussie said ,evenstevens do u like a drink??i replied anytime any place, but in moderation

we parked outside this garden business,i said to myself what the fluff is going on,perhaps our driver is picking up some garden gear on the way

no not at all, this is his office ,plus his business,all rolled into one when we entered his office,he greeted us in a very layback amicable style

10 mins later, i walked out of his office,completely spellbound,never i have i met a person,who has a layback chrasmistic presence as micheal,he made u feel good in a twinkle of a eye, u swear u had known him for yrs,and he is backng your ret /visas papers at the immgr dept,for zero baht, yes again for zilch baht

on the way back it was around about noon the other aussie said , even stevens, hear u don t mind a drink or two,whats say we all get together at the beer republic, just around the corner from the visa agency,have lunch and throw a few down,and take all the visa staff incl the principle for a bite to each as well, i replied why not

as we were, in a very jovial mood, due to our super agents superb handling of our visit to micheal,we kicked onto 7 pm,we ate plenty,drank plenty,the visa staff came back after knock off time incl the principle plus her aussie hubby,for a further round

so my drinking moderation bull dust ,was on the back burner for the day, there we go folks,what a great day doing some spade work for your ret visa,sure beats lining up at the immgr dept etc etc

the beer republic tab ,from memory , was around 4. 800 baht split three ways, c/mai is great place for these unexpected type of p##s ups

in summing up

micheal walther ,our hon aussie general in c/mai, is truly a great australianand a wonderful human being

Edited September 20, 2014 by evenstevens

[masuk]

They're not really strong on house/building numbers here.

[Konini]

the day my super agent made a appointment with hon gen micheal walther, i had the company of two other aussies,we were driven to his office by our super agents daughter,it was around eleven also

during our short drive, one aussie said ,evenstevens do u like a drink??i replied anytime any place, but in moderation

we parked outside this garden business,i said to myself what the fluff is going on,perhaps our driver is picking up some garden gear on the way

no not at all, this is his office ,plus his business,all rolled into one when we entered his office,he greeted us in a very layback amicable style

10 mins later, i walked out of his office,completely spellbound,never i have i met a person,who has a layback chrasmistic presence as micheal,he made u feel good in a twinkle of a eye, u swear u had known him for yrs,and he is backng your ret /visas papers at the immgr dept,for zero baht, yes again for zilch baht

on the way back it was around about noon the other aussie said , even stevens, hear u don t mind a drink or two,whats say we all get together at the beer republic, just around the corner from the visa agency,have lunch and throw a few down,and take all the visa staff incl the principle for a bite to each as well, i replied why not

as we were, in a very jovial mood, due to our super agents superb handling of our visit to micheal,we kicked onto 7 pm,we ate plenty,drank plenty,the visa staff came back after knock off time incl the principle plus her aussie hubby,for a further round

so my drinking moderation bull dust ,was on the back burner for the day, there we go folks,what a great day doing some spade work for your ret visa,sure beats lining up at the immgr dept etc etc

the beer republic tab ,from memory , was around 4. 800 baht split three ways, c/mai is great place for these unexpected type of p##s ups

in summing up

micheal walther ,our hon aussie general in c/mai, is truly a great australianand a wonderful human being

Very well surmised . He really is a lovely bloke, and yes, I think you've hit the nail on the head with him being charismatic.The first time we went, I said to my husband that he couldn't possibly get much work of his own done if he sits and chit-chats this much to every Aussie in Chiang Mai. I noted it because there was a big, big pile of architectural drawings just sitting there, looking very, very menacing, obviously needing to be attended to. That's what I was referring to in my earlier post about him being generous with his time.

The concrete statues and things he sells out front are hiding a of a full size builders yard; pebbles, sand the whole lot. A proper builders' yard. I'm assuming that he's an architect.

I had to do a Stat Dec earlier this year, at the same time we were moving, and although I'd never have thought it could look good in a condo, something caught my eye and a couple of his colour-washed decorative concrete panels are currently looking pretty good on a little nook-balcony

[dhream]

I just found this in an email, his signature file so it can't be a problem

Mike Walther

Australian Hon. Consul - Chiang Mai

Jinda Charoen Konsong

236 Chiangmai Doi Saket Rd (Highway 118)

Amphur Sansai

Chiangmai 50210

Phone: 08 1837-7750

Fax: 053-492-426

As I said, he really is a lovely man, devotes mornings to consular work and doesn't charge a single cent, never has done. One of the few good ones left.

As for the money, some may envy our position, but they certainly didn't envy us when we were both working a minimum 60 hours a week without holidays for the first 14 years, driving around in ;old bangers which my husband struggled to keep on the roads and not spending a cent we didn't have to; we left England in 1987 with GBP 1,200 to our names, and with no children (by choice) retired 7 years ago last week at the age of 43. I know it's not going to be the end of the world if we lose the 30K - and chances of that happening are very low - but we worked bloody hard for that money and would hate to see it go, particularly as we're very risk adverse, and getting an income statement once a year isn't such a mess about for us. [snip]

Our actual income flow isn't a problem, we pretty much live on renal income without touching anything else, and I keep about $50k in cash in an easily accessible account for airfares, insurances, spending money and emergencies, so the actual cash flow or having to make a budget isn't a problem, I was just concerned about convincing a Thai official who doesn't understand such things that you have to look at the annual figure not the monthly one, and the annual figures for the last 10 years are hardly like to change. I suppose I could start making a regular monthly payment to another bank, either here or in Aus, that might be the best thing to do actually, thanks for the suggestion.

And don't forget, it's coming up to the last week in September. Is there anywhere to go and watch the AFL grand final this year? Most of the Aussie bars seem to have shut down over the years. I know there's one on Loi Kroh road, but unlike the English obsession, I've always seen Aussie Rules as more of a family game, and would imagine there'll be plenty of expats wanting to sit somewhere pleasant with their wives and kids

Hi Konini,

Thanks for the detailed reply,which I have snipped for ease of those following...

I would not suggest everything into gold, and certainly, as you say, it is a non-income generating investment, in fact, it costs a modest amout to hold it securely. I see it as the ultimate in 'life insurance' against the world going totally pear-shaped. Again, I'm not someone who stockpiles beans n' ammo, but you have to look askance at the mess the so called free world are making of dealing with everything from high finance, to terrorism, to drug wars, to pandemics... Oh, and the tide will be coming in to Bondi in a way the will make the speedo-sporting climate-change denying PM glad he learned to swim, possibly sooner than anyone would wish, but we just keep on doing the stuff that makes the planet lash back at us!

If things get really bad, not many blue chips will have much to show for it. They are all based on the first world functioning at 'first world' levels. Also, don't rule out CEO negligence, they don't have your interests at heart at the best of times! (Babcock, Leighton, Holden, Qantas, to name a few darlings gone bad). I truly hope I'm wrong, but the unthinkable has happened too many times in recent history, to remain complacent. I was crucified three times in the markets, coming back for more, before I pulled the pin for good. Granted, I was a 'speculator', but I would have been better off down the RSL, feeding pokies!

So far, luckily, with global financial disasters, they have been able to contain them (not fix them) the straws are piling on the camels back... and how much more money can they print before it all just implodes? So gold.

Those who swear by property come what may, seem to forget Detriot and China's 'ghost cities'. While Sydney is not Detriot (yet) there's not much rent coming in if your city is nuked, or tsunamied, or quaked, or plagued, or whatever. It does happen, it can happen. I know this is all a little left-field, but that's exactly what I'm expecting... I have lost faith in our leaders and institutions, and wars and disasters are piling up everywhere, I don't even watch the news anymore, if it's big enough, I'll hear about it! And I'm hearing too mutt!

On to happeir thoughts, I'm not a sports fan in general, but another suggestion I can offer is to find a 'Clubhouse' that is either part of a golf course, or gated community, and see if they can accommodate you with a flatscreen 'Australia Network' access, and some nibbles for the game.

There is a Dutch guy i know who runs a nice little establishment out of the clubhouse of a Gated community up around HangDong called 'Home-In-Park'. As my girl drives me there, I can't supply more details, but his name is 'Ben' and his wife is 'Noi' her number is: 089 634 4520 (ask for Ben) He does reasonable western food himself, and they have a Thai cook as well. There is a medium flatscreen, and a pool for the kids. Decent bar selection, ice-cream freezer, etc. its a big open thatched roof place, and really quite pleasant, only frequented by residents and the odd interloper like me, (you'll need to get a chit at the security gate on entry and exit) make sure Ben stamps it to aviod the fee. it is a bit of a way out if you don't live nearby. But i hope it helps if you can't find closer...

Failing that theres' 'The game' a brandnew sports bar, also in hang Dong, at 'Kad Farang' (near Rimping HangDong). I have never been in, but see from the road that it's all older expat types, not young yobby tourists.

Edited September 22, 2014 by dhream

[dhream]

^^^^^^ N/J ...as usual wrong again.....seeing its around midnite, when u have posted,guess tiredness has crept in ,long day on the board u know

Makes no difference what you do or have. You must be able to prove 800,000 baht in the bank or guaranteed income of 65,000 baht a month. Or a combination of the two. They will need to see a guarantee of the money coming in. Not a past record.

ned, been through the same process as u are about to undertake, my super agent due to her dilengience and expertise in visa matters at the ????dept

managed to secure my ret visa with out any funds in my bangkok bank a/c whats so ever, and fully legal and accepted at the ?????? dept

for personal reasons i cannot post the loopholes if one likes to call them that ,but again all legal and above board

cobber my super agent(who is a thai/aussie ) is located in the nimminhedin area,and for a fee of around 5000 baht approx,she absoulately takes great care of you,and most importantly she expertly dots the eyes and crosses the tees for you, if you feel u need her service ,just p.m. me,and i will happily supply them to u...,again good luck cobber

a very nice morning to all

Surely you mean THB 50,000 ?

THB 5000 seems a little too good to be true for any agent, much less one with a with a Nimmanhaemin address.

No, 5,000 baht would be right. Earlier this week my husband went to another agent who gets a lot of mentions here, and they wanted 6,000 or 7,000 (I honestly forget) for converting his tourist visa to a Non-immigrant, the same amount again for applying for retirement extension, and then the same again for me getting a non-o as his dependant (I divert any income for myself into a trust fund which goes directly into super before it gets to me, so on paper I'm just short of the required income to apply in my own right). But, but, but I have to go to another country to apply for my non-o as his dependant. I do the travel, I do the worrk, I fill in the form, I pay for it. And they want to charge me for that? And they want to charge separately for converting his tourist visa to a non-o so he can apply for a retirement extension? Sorry, but no thanks. I know what is required, I know how to fill in a form, and although Chiang Mai immigration is a bit of a mad house, Chiang Rai immigration isn't, nor are most of the other offices around the country. We often go away for a couple of days here and there, we'll just make sure the next trip away is to a place with an immigration office (unless you have to apply in the province you are located in. If we have to go to Laos anyway to get me a non-o, we could maybe pick up his retirement stamp en-route, which would keep our dates nice and close. Maybe I'm being a bit cheap, but 3 separate charges, basically for filling in forms? And one set of forms I have to lodge myself anyway.

Thanks for the reassurance! It is rare to find someone like this, my local girlfriend, who is in the import/export and thai furniture and decor businesses, and knows a few people who get things done, was a little skeptical, saying a previous US boyfriend of hers shelled out quite a bit to get his non-o 'arranged'.

The less said, then, the better!

I did all the 'conversions' to non-o and then retirement extension of stay myself, with really a minimum of fuss, apart from the dreary CNX Immigration-go-round. I am looking to get things organised next May, without having to lodge THB 800,000 if at all possible.

Also, I arrived here on my UK passport, as my Aussie one was renewed in Lisbon, and they messed it up, so I had to have it sent on after me, only to find they had let it get soaked while delivering it to my Portuguese adress, in the floods there, possibly ruining the chip, the water certainly messed up the ID page! Then the buck-passing began! The embassy said that because my trusted recipient 'signed' for the package, the damage was not down to them, and anyway, they should have complained to the Portuguese Post Office (yeah that would have got us a right old result, I don't think!) And besides, the reipient was loath to open it without my permission, therefore could not know the state of the contents, although the evvelope outside had water damage, it was dry on arrival (and very late), the water however had throroughly soaked inside the plastic cover they send them in.

All of this means I have a UK passport with all my Thai ink in it, and Aussie income sources, a bit of a conundrum if they start asking questions down at the black hole of Calcutta, sorry, Immigration office. hence my wanting to figure out options other than the 'usual'. I also want to get the Aussie document fixed at Canberras expense anyway, their man in Lisbon messed up, not me.

Konini,

I sympathise with your frustration. What i want to pay for is ONLY for things i can't get done on my own...

Officialdom here treat investor/retitrees with a contempt that beggars belief. Surely now the visa-run brigade have been sent packing all this ridiculous 90 day reporting nonsense can be scrapped? Why you have to go on a magical mystyr tour as well, is barmy!

Has it not ocurred to anyone in power that the sheer cost of annual visa admin must be way more than they charge?

If someone was actually thinking in high places, they would issue a five year extension at 5x the annual cost and cut processing costs to once every five years, thus needing less officers on the payroll. Everybody wins, especially HM Thailands revenue dept! I can dream.

Also a little more computerisation would not go astray, all this photcopying and form filling, its madness. And why the need for a photo when they electronically photograph you again at the airport, office, etc etc?

Still, their system is as good as it can be at CNX with what they have to work with, it can't be easy...

You say that Chaing Rai is better, but is it OK to be 'processed' outside ones residential province? I don't know, probably not, or many more would?

I'd drive up there and even overnight, just to not have to sit in that horrible blue room ever again!

[dhream]

Konini,

Surely it would be cheaper to apply in your own right once you do a bit of account juggling overseas?

Are you fully au fait with the timing of the money in your Thai account?

There is an excellent thread about it in another forum here http://www.expatforum.com/expats/basement-lounge/185161-retirement-visa.html

They seem to know what they are talking about there epecially ms. 'tod-daniels'. Ironic, as this is supposedly thai-visa dot com, yet I see a lot of waffle about all sorts of rubbish (present company excepted!) and very lttle visa talk.

[dhream]

Not quite on topic, or maybe you could say a 'sister' post. If you have ever had to deal with the Chinese Government you may have come away almost traumatised!

I recently had cause to visit the middle kingdom, and went through the visa process here in CNX.

I was absolutely floored by the serene order, cleanliness (the place sparkles, it smells like a clinic, and there always seems to be someone mopping a surface whenever I visit!) great aircon, and above all, the politeness of the staff.

When I collected my visa they even wished me a smiling 'Enjoy your visit to China!' Wow!

Security is also a dignified process, (unlike leaving China itself, absolutely felt as if I was 'escaping' China, so often did they scrutinise my passport at the airport) they pulled my bag apart too, just like at Heathrow. I do get grumpy with airport security, I remain outwardly passive, but silently seethe inside, it's just all a big show of BS and bluster, and a pain in the arse! If they were really serious about our safety, they'd be much more professional and precise, like the Israelis.

BTW if you are 'farangs' you don't need to show 'proof of funds', to get a Chinese visa, the Thais do, AND they pay more than we for the visa, but not as much as the Americans, who are fleeced! Must be a tit-for-tat thing.

Edited September 22, 2014 by dhream

[Konini]

Konini,

Surely it would be cheaper to apply in your own right once you do a bit of account juggling overseas?

Are you fully au fait with the timing of the money in your Thai account?

There is an excellent thread about it in another forum here http://www.expatforum.com/expats/basement-lounge/185161-retirement-visa.html

They seem to know what they are talking about there epecially ms. 'tod-daniels'. Ironic, as this is supposedly thai-visa dot com, yet I see a lot of waffle about all sorts of rubbish (present company excepted!) and very lttle visa talk.

At the moment it suits me to piggy back onto my husband's retirement visa, when that changes I'll have another look. You know the Australian Taxation Act? You know, the books, about 2 inches wide, 30 odd of them? I've read them. All. I've not only read them, I understand them. I not only understand them, I actually enjoy reading them. Seriously. When the brain connects 2 parts of the puzzle which leads to a fair dinkum deduction - there is no other feeling like that in the whole world. Some people like to taste nice food or nice wine or look at works of art or read books. I find nothing as satisfying as having gone into battle with the taxation commissioner and getting a victory, no matter how small. One year it was only $4.50, in a very high income year, but it doesn't matter. I live for moments like that. I have lots of other hobbies too, I don't obsess, but going into battle with the commissioner each year is my favourite hobby. It's almost like a game, or a chase. Most people won't understand this and will be thinking 'Crazy Woman', but I have met other people who do are the same as me.

PS - up to the minute visa info is on the visa forum, apart from flicking over newsletters, I only read the Chiang Mai local forum because so many people on ThaiVisa are mean and nasty and bigoted and don't play nice. I just don't have time for people like that. The Chiang Mai forum is really good, a high number of eccentric and eclectic personalities, heaps of really helpful people who will pass on information and hardly ever any nastiness.

What more could we ask for?

[dhream]

Thinking about it.. Nothing to stop anyone going to Chiang Rai Immigration, giving a random Chiang Rai address, say, a guest house, and doing the immigration mambo by driving up there, but it all seems even more of a hassle then loitering in the 'Blue Room' at CNX or wrestling with the ridiculous ten-slot electronic advance booking system!

I really must go and see Michael, if I leave this passport thing too long they may knoock back the free 'chip repair' offer.

[harrry]

It's a business - builder supplies, concrete pavers, statues, fountains etc. I don't know the name of the business, but if anyone else does I'm sure they'll post it here, or perhaps someone is going there for a Stat Dec or something over the next few days, or even just driving past if you live out that way.

I have an email address for it but I don't know if he wants it spread around - probably OK, but unless I knew that for certain, I can't bring myself to pass it on to anyone. He really is a lovely man, and very generous with his time too.

So the Consulate is housed within a business premises?

Not an actual separate Australian Consulate?

If so, it's good to know they are being frugal, but hard to believe!

Governments usually love swinging their big diplomatic dicks, with extravagant palaces in toney neighbourhoods, at our expense, of course.

Some of the Embassies of tinpot countries I've seen in London, and other capitals in my time, beggar belief, and probably half the country they represent.

Do I have an issue with Government profligacy in general? Perhaps... :-)

Its not a consulate per se...but rather a Honorary Consul. As such they do not do the full range of duties and is more of lifeline and assistance when can type role, as well as Austrade/Education type opportunity promotions. Al lot of these Honorary roles are given to the individual rather than the city as such. If the Honorary Consul resigns or moves on it does not create an automatic vacancy.

Perth had a Honorary Thai consulate for many years served by an ex ADF senior officer who served several years in Thailand as an advisor, acquiring a few Thai awards. When he retired there was no honorary consulate for a few years and what there is now is a poor shadow of the good Brigadier Jamieson.

A real loss when he finally moved on to a well earned rest. May sound odd, but he was one of those people who make you realise how little you achieve in life but a great bloke. Rest assured you got your moneys worth of Government service from this gem......a good consul a great man.

Brigadier William Drayton Jamieson Honorary Consul-General of WA

Brigadier W.D. (Bill) Jamieson was invited by His Majesty The King of Thailand to become Honorary Consul-General for Thailand in Western Australia on his retirement from the Australian Army in 1978. He is a Patron of the Thai-Australian Association and is actively involved with the Thai community. In 1997 His Majesty appointed him a Knight Commander of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand and in 2004 a Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of The White Elephant. In 2001 he was elected Vice Dean of the Consular Corps of Western Australia. His military career included Active Service in New Guinea in World War II as well as in Korea and Viet Nam. He also served in the United Kingdom and India and spent two years in Thailand as the Senior Australian Defence Officer with the South East Asia Treaty Organisation.

His giving up the consulate was a loss to Perth. He was the Officer assigned to assist the Crown Prince during his training at the Australian Defence Academy at Duntroon in Australia and hence was well trusted and a friend of Thailand. As well as that he is a really nice person.