Us Embassy For Americans

[phuketrichard]

Hi;

I have been told that now Americasn no longer can go around the line for entry to the embassy if they are going in for american servicies but must stand in the hot sun wiht all the other rif raf.

Can any one confirm this? I need to go up and get things done but if that's the case I will wiat until they come to Phuket.

What a shitty thing to do to Americans in their own embassy!!

Plus we are the only ones that need to bring our kids to Bangkok to get their passports renew'd. Every other country allows the parnet to just bring the passport up.

Thanks

[chonabot]

arse/troll

[mouse]

Dear Mr. Phuketrichard, Please go back and read your post. Then read it again and pretend that you are a Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cambodian or from Myanmar.

After I read your post, you made me ashamed to be an American and I have never had to say that, for people that were not politicians.

I ask that you apologize to the entire Forum and all non Americans for your indecency. People that make statements as such, cause us to be hated in the world. Shame on you!

[Guest IT Manager]

Good name though Phuket Dick.

[mango head]

Hi;

I have been told that now Americasn no longer can go around the line for entry to the embassy if they are going in for american servicies but must stand in the hot sun wiht all the other rif raf.

Better come down off your high horse. I think the altitude is starting to affect your brain.

[phuketrichard]

Hello;

I apolgize if anyone took this so serioulsy. and I upset anyone What I want to know is, before Americans had a seperate line to enter with if they wished to use the American service section. Now I am told there is not a seperate line/entrance and we need to stand in line with everyone else.

As an american I would have thought they would allow us to continue to enter the american section as its technically my embassy and I don't wish to appy for a visa or such.

Sorry I upset so many people. Use guys need to get a grip on things and lighten up bit. Your in asia

[Pepe']

At least we are not being charged double there...LOL

[ChiangMaiThai]

I don't know the details, but I agree with Richard. Any citizen should have quick and easy access to their embassy.

[KevinN]

I have always had direct access to the american embassy where ever I was in the world..There has always been an american gate.

I can't think why we would have to stand in line for 2 or 3 days with the others that are trying to get a visa or some other foreign service when it our embassy and here to assist us in matters of import to us. mostly that are required by our government or the host country.

The people that are paid at least in part by the taxes that we paid while working should give us the service that we deserve,after all they do not have to work 3 days a week,get free memberships to all the golf and country clubs in the area,get to bring a new car in every couple of years and sell it a great profit and bring in another, Have perks that only Malcomb Forbes could dream of and now want to cut down services to the very people that they are supposed to assist.

[phuketrichard]

Thanks guys,

I agree that its my embassy and I should have easy access. BUT like I asked I have heard from various people that there is no longer a seperate line for US citizens and we need to wait in line like everyone else. This is not right.

Can someone check with the embassy and confirm of ...

Thanks for getting this thread back on track.

[Boon Mee]

Hi;

I have been told that now Americasn no longer can go around the line for entry to the embassy if they are going in for american servicies but must stand in the hot sun wiht all the other rif raf.

Can any one confirm this?  I need to go up and get things done but if that's the case I will wiat until they come to Phuket.

What a shitty thing to do to Americans in their own embassy!!

Plus we are the only ones that need to bring our kids to Bangkok to get their passports renew'd.  Every other country allows the parnet to just bring the passport up.

Thanks

RIF-RAFF???

You're the kinda guy that spawned the term "Ugly American"!

[Guest IT Manager]

Hello;

I apolgize if anyone took this so serioulsy. and I upset anyone What I want to know is, before Americans had a seperate line to enter with if they wished to use the American service section. Now I am told there is not a seperate line/entrance and we need to stand in line with everyone else.

As an american I would have thought they would allow us to continue to enter the american section as its technically my embassy and I don't wish to appy for a visa or such.

Sorry I upset so many people. Use guys need to get a grip on things and lighten up bit. Your in asia

Richard the issue that got up everyones' nose was "Hi;

I have been told that now Americasn no longer can go around the line for entry to the embassy if they are going in for american servicies but must stand in the hot sun wiht all the other rif raf."

Not the bit about no line for Americans. You said "lighten up, you're in asia". I agree. You do it too. And I agree, thanks for keeping it on track.

IT/Admin

[Boon Mee]

IT,

I think what got up MY nose was the term "Rif-Raff". This guy's in Asia - not back in Yankee-Land...

[lopburi3]

I have not been recently but there are two places that have lines. Security at entry and queues for visas. I am very sure you do not have to stand in the visa queue if you only want to visit ACS. The first line is security control and previously they had another entrance near gate that Americans could use. Perhaps this has now been closed and everyone has to use the one line to enter. From a security standpoint I can understand that as the old system appeared rather loose.

[KevinN]

OK BOON MEE, How long ya gonna carry on about the mistake he made,,he has said he was sorry and it was forgiven by everyone else,so why don't you grow up and make an intelligent contribution here if ya have one,if not,let it lie.

[Boon Mee]

OK BOON MEE, How long ya gonna carry on about the mistake he made,,he has said he was sorry and it was forgiven by everyone else,so why don't you grow up and make an intelligent contribution here if ya have one,if not,let it lie.

Apology accepted...

[thaihome]

I have been to US Embassy Consular section at least 6 times over 3 years, last being in May-03 to get additional pages in passport.

You go through a door from the street into a security check (I have never seen a separate "American only" entrance), where you turn in your handphone, I have never seen much of a line for that, maybe 5 or 6 people backed up. You then enter a courtyard with a covered walkway leading to the Visa and ACS (American Citizen Services) building. There are signs overhead and colour coded painting on walkway designating the different places to go. After passing the visa application windows on the right (which usually have longish lines), you go into the building (I have never seen a line for this) and the first room is where the ACS windows (on your right). When I went to get the pages inserted, from entering the security door to walking back out on the street took less then 30 minutes. The longest I have ever had to wait was about an hour when I turned in my wife’s tourist visa application.

TH

[Guest chingy]

i just been to the US embassy in bangkok a week back, i don't see any problem, what waiting are you talking about, i was sitting in an AC room, they gave me a friendly smile and ask me what service do i need

[phuketrichard]

Thank you Kevin;

You enter thru the gate and then you go thru one line that got you thru security, ( where you turn in your phone)

Then there were 2 lines.

on the left for american services, (ONLY for Americans)

on the right for everyone else, regardless what they wanted

This is the way it has been since I first came to Thailand (over 18 years ago)

NOW

I have been told there is ONLY one line by 2 diferent people that flew up from Phuket to Bangkok for American services, ( kids passports) and were really upset at having to wait in line with lots or people requiring lots of difernet things, rather than just walk into the american service section thru the door on your right after you enter the big waiting room.

can ANYONE confirm or..

This was told me last week

Lets just get an answer and be done with and get on with life.:-)

Thanks,

[Yohan]

I am European and I really do not understand, why it is so difficult for an American citizen to get informations about his own embassy.

What I would do in such a case concerning my own country, if I hear the same about my own embassy:

I will make a phone-call and will ask for the responsible person in the embassy, and request some more information, to find out what is true and what not.

Should I not receive a reply, because the line is busy or the person in charge is not available at the moment, I will send a fax or write a letter and for sure they will call me back soon.....

What is the reason? Why you do not ask directly your embassy about the present conditions?

Johann

[tutsiwarrior]

I think that lopburi hit the nail on the head by referring to security arrangements at the US embassy...switching around queueing arrangements in random fashion gives security people the opportunity to do their job...it's the times that we live in and everyone should expect delays when wanting to do business there.

[planetvoyager]

Phuketrichard, say what is on your mind, you don't have to apologize to anybody and stand your ground when others come around hollering their put-on moral rage. Also a good recommendation is to also think about what you say. Now, I think that as americans we pay taxes and some of us have limited time in thailand, so we should have efficient access to our embassies and be able to wait in air-conditioned hallways with our own holy U.S. of A rif raf.

PLANETVOYAGER

[phuketrichard]

I give up!!!

I don't want to spend 18 baht /minute to be put on hold and end up talking to a thai who doesn't understand my question, then be transfered to hold while they find someone that can answer my question only to end up being disconected. ;-(

Why is everyone one making such a big thing out of it???

You guys need a life :-)

I am an american. I pay their salaries, Why can't I get good service from my own embassy?

[Boon Mee]

I give up!!!

I don't want to spend 18 baht /minute to be put on hold and end up talking to a thai who doesn't understand my question, then be transfered to hold while they find someone that can answer my question only to end up being disconected.  ;-(

Why is everyone one making such a big thing out of it???

You guys need a life :-)

I am an american. I pay their salaries, Why can't I get good service from my own embassy?

Get used to it if you chose to live overseas. The American Embassy in BKK is no different in service to the others I've had business with from Cairo to Rio.

Everyone wants to come to America and you get long lines and sometimes indifferent service.

BTW, making a phone call in Thailand to obtain information whether it's from the American Embassy or Central Departmant Store is usually a waste of time.

[sbk]

BTW, making a phone call in Thailand to obtain information whether it's from the American Embassy or Central Departmant Store is usually a waste of time.

Absolutely spot on Boonmee, forget the phones when dealing with anything here. I actually had a very quick reply from the US embassy via email a couple of years ago when trying to make an appointment for a visa interview for my husband. Within 15 minutes of emailing the visa dept I got a response --couldn't believe it considering how bad the telephone service was.

As for seperate gates, I must have missed something these past 15 years because I always went through the one security entrance, but there was a seperate line for citizens services once I got past security. OK, to be perfectly honest, I never had to wait in a line, but just blazed right on past the reception window out front with a cheery, "going to citizens services, thanks!" and never had a problem. Guess I have been living in Thailand too long

[Up2U]

I think we should also differentiate here between the Embassy and the Consulate(s). Embassies represent their own government to the government of the host country. Has nothing to do with the hoi-polloi, whether nationals of the represented (home) country, host country or any other country.

The Consulates have a multiplicity of functions, of which the visa function (issuing visas to people wishing to visit the home country) is the most well-known. Passport renewal for home-country citizens is well down the list. British consulates in major centres do have a section especially for this service, plus medevac, people in jail, so on. But in many countries I have worked in, I had to queue with the rest, and in Libya this meant using the 'British Interests Section' of the Italian Embassy (Consular Office) for many years.

Basically - get used to it - they are not interested in you and there is nothing you can do to change it!

[thaihome]

I give up!!!

I don't want to spend 18 baht /minute to be put on hold and end up talking to a thai who doesn't understand my question, then be transfered to hold while they find someone that can answer my question only to end up being disconected.  ;-(

Why is everyone one making such a big thing out of it???

You guys need a life :-)

I am an american. I pay their salaries, Why can't I get good service from my own embassy?

You are the one making a big deal out of it. Your question was answered by

Chingy on Sat 2004-03-20, 12:03:01:

i just been to the US embassy in bangkok a week back, i don't see any problem, what waiting are you talking about, i was sitting in an AC room, they gave me a friendly smile and ask me what service do i need

Cheers,

TH

[dkstoney]

NOW

I have been told there is ONLY one line by 2 diferent people that flew up from Phuket to Bangkok for American services, ( kids passports) and were really upset at having to wait in line with lots or people requiring lots of difernet things, rather than just walk into the american service section thru the door on your right after you enter the big waiting room.

I guess that's your answer then, Dick. What are you confirming, if your acquaintances have been lying to you? Folks here have already said that as recently as a week ago they had seen no such thing. Buy a phone card and give 'em a ring.

[BillyZ]

It's funny, no one in this thread and in these information, Internet times has mentioned sending and email to the embassy. A phone call is probably a waste of time, especially to the embassy of the contry (my country, I should add) that has a Do Not Call list.

But most of the emails I've sent have been answered within a few days, though, a few have taken a few weeks. At the end of the day, if you have to get the service and you have to wait in line, then you'll have to wait in line. No worries. It's Asia. It's Thailand. Sometimes we have to wait in the heat and/or in the rain. That's why we love it here

The last time I was there, in December, they were doing some remodling to the covered area past the check in area. I'm not sure how it's looking now. But I would follow this polite rule of thumb when approaching the front of the embassy:

1) If there is a line to check in your phone (and it's clear on the inside), then get in line. Everyone else is waiting, too.

2) If the line is being held up on the inside (past the phone check-in area) by people waiting to apply for visas or non-ACS, then cut in the line, let them know that you're there for the ACS and then go to the ACS room.

If you think that because you're an American you can just cut in to a proper queue, then you probably won't hear anything except from other Americans who are waiting with girlfriends/boyfriends/wives, as I would, "Hey, get in the back of the line." And rightly so.

[Boon Mee]

It's funny, no one in this thread and in these information, Internet times has mentioned sending and email to the embassy. A phone call is probably a waste of time, especially to the embassy of the contry (my country, I should add) that has a Do Not Call list.

But most of the emails I've sent have been answered within a few days, though, a few have taken a few weeks. At the end of the day, if you have to get the service and you have to wait in line, then you'll have to wait in line. No worries. It's Asia. It's Thailand. Sometimes we have to wait in the heat and/or in the rain. That's why we love it here

The last time I was there, in December, they were doing some remodling to the covered area past the check in area. I'm not sure how it's looking now. But I would follow this polite rule of thumb when approaching the front of the embassy:

1) If there is a line to check in your phone (and it's clear on the inside), then get in line. Everyone else is waiting, too.

2) If the line is being held up on the inside (past the phone check-in area) by people waiting to apply for visas or non-ACS, then cut in the line, let them know that you're there for the ACS and then go to the ACS room.

If you think that because you're an American you can just cut in to a proper queue, then you probably won't hear anything except from other Americans who are waiting with girlfriends/boyfriends/wives, as I would, "Hey, get in the back of the line." And rightly so.

BillyZ,

Check out sbk's post above - she received quick response as well via e-mail.