webfact Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Australian Government Cracks Down on Bizarre Requests from TravellersHua Hin TodayAustralian Government Cracks Down on Bizarre Requests from TravellersBANGKOK: -- Consular officials in Bangkok are used to helping Australians in compromising situations, but even they were shocked when a man asked taxpayers to foot the bill for a prostitute. The request is just one example of bizarre requests the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are cracking down on. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has launched a new strategy for consular officials to deal with the problem, warning Australian travellers to stop expecting the government to bail them out if they get in trouble. People who make repeat requests for unreasonable assistance will be turned down. Some of the more outrageous requests made of consular officials include one person who asked staff to take care of a pet parrot and feed a woman’s dogs while she was overseas. The Bangkok mission deals with the most requests for assistance, followed by Bali, Manila, Los Angeles and Dubai.Top Ten Weird Requests:1) A traveller who was destitute in Europe refused to return to Australia without their pet bird, which could not be returned for quarantine reasons2) A mother who wanted the embassy in Bangkok to book accommodation and a return ticket to Australia for her son, then provide an embassy driver to take him to the airport3) A request from an Australian traveller to feed her dogs while she was away4) “I’m attending a conference overseas with a large group of Australians but I have heard it is a dangerous city. Can the High Commission arrange for a risk assessment and some armoured cars? We only need them for a week.”5) A traveller who asked whether the sand in Egypt would affect her asthma6) “Why won’t the Australian embassy come and pack my bags for me? I’m an 80 year old architect travelling by myself and too old to pack my own bags”7) “Can the embassy obtain prescription medicine from Australia and send it to me so I can continue my holiday?”8) Requests for embassies to store luggage, hold mail, provide banking facilities or arrange tours for Australian travellers9) A caller wanted to know the average salary for an expat to expect in Thailand10) “Can the embassy tell the local police that I have an excellent driving record in Australia and should not have to pay those outstanding speeding fines?” * List provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.Source: http://www.huahintoday.com/world-news/australian-government-cracks-bizarre-requests-travellers/ -- Hua Hin Today 2014-12-30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy666 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Typical Ozzy Behaviour ...555555555 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post khwaibah Posted December 30, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 30, 2014 So whats wrong with a government picking up the tab of a hooker? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post siampolee Posted December 30, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) khwaibah post # 3. So whats wrong with a government picking up the tab of a hooker? Indeed the electorate has to pick up the bill(s) for the political hookers who ruin run the country. Edited December 30, 2014 by siampolee 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Exsexyman Posted December 30, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 30, 2014 Some great answers to some stupid questions here. Very very funny. http://funnyshit.com.au/aussie_tourism.html 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Freed1948 Posted December 30, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 30, 2014 This is old news. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Neilly Posted December 30, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 30, 2014 Some great answers to some stupid questions here. Very very funny. http://funnyshit.com.au/aussie_tourism.html Q: Will I be able to speek English most places I go? (USA) A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzra Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Well, if it wasn't for those silly questions, what else would the consular staff will be doing in their ivory towers but to charge you for every single service they provide and than some more?.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Manbing Posted December 30, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) Typical Ozzy Behaviour ...555555555Yes that maybe true, there is a similar list for the British consulur service too. But not for the USA.The USA decided not to fund the 4 full time staff required to maintain this list at each consulate around the world. Edited December 30, 2014 by Manbing 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneday Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I don't understand this article. What is the fuss about? When an unreasonable request comes in, stamp it "NO!" and move on. "People who make repeat requests for unreasonable assistance will be turned down." So does this means the FIRST request to foot the bill for a prostitute will be granted? What a ridiculous article. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil B Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Aussies should be band for going abroad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICECOOL Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 same crap from about 2 months ago...must be slow news day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Wow...and I thought they were supposed to be smarter than other folks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ersl Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Actually they provide no assitance. Australian so called Embassies and Consular offices are purely for business purposes. See here: http://www.restoreaustralia.org.au/shes-not-right-mate/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Christmas13 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Aussies should be band for going abroad... Do you mean form a band? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerbalEd Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 This is old news. Not to everyone here. Obviously you're much more sophisticated than us. Must be boring being so cool when everyone else isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car720 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Aussies should be band for going abroad... Will I be able to speak English everywhere I go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Aussies should be band for going abroad... Don't you mean banned from going abroad ? You cannot speak English, so are you an American, or a Kiwi ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrry Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Wonder how many consular dollars it cost that time Malcolm Fraser lost his trousers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romeijoe Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> Aussies should be band for going abroad... alt=tongue.png> mmmmmm - not nice !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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