British Consulate Chiang Mai to no longer offer notarial and documentary services

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British Consulate Chiang Mai to no longer offer notarial and documentary services

From 1 February 2015 there will be a change to notarial and documentary services at the British Consulate in Chiang Mai

With effect from 1 February 2015 the British Consulate in Chiang Mai will cease providing notarial and documentary services e.g. pension letters, affirmations, certification of documents. These services will be provided by the British Embassy in Bangkok.

The changes to how we provide our notarial and documentary services in Thailand are part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2013-2016 Consular Strategy, launched by the British Foreign Secretary in April 2013. The strategy commits us to providing a more professional, modern and streamlined service for British Nationals who require access to notarial and documentary services.

Information on how to apply for your specific notarial or documentary need can be found on Notarial and documentary services guide for Thailand or by telephoning +66 (0) 2 305 8333.

Many of the services can be provided by mail. For the few services that require attendance in person, the British Embassy provides a same day service subject to the application being correctly completed. To avoid delays, please submit your application in good time and provide all the necessary documentation and the appropriate fee for the service you require.

Further information

Follow British Ambassador Mark Kent on twitter @KentBKK

Follow the British Embassy Bangkok on Twitter, and Facebook

[Cuchulainn]

What a caring government we you have.

[yang123]

Here's the 'FCO 2013-2106 Consular Strategy' paper:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/191053/CONSSTRAT10.pdf

'vision', 'deliver', 'journey' 'network', 'partnership', 'greater choice' and much more besides for fans of bullshit bingo.

[Just1Voice]

Oh, that's gonna totally suck for the Brits living here.

[zaphod reborn]

Does the British Consulate do anything for its citizens here in Thailand? I've never seen such a lazy bunch of do nothing SOB's. They don't even have the decency to handle passport renewals and replacements. Passports which are made with too few pages for frequent travelers and the government refusing to add pages. Of course, they are following the lead of the HMRC who bin any written corporate annual return, insisting they all be filed electronically. The British government - a load of <deleted>.

[LivinginKata]

I have to laugh about this government double speak ...

"The strategy commits us to providing a more professional, modern and streamlined service for British Nationals who require access to notarial and documentary services."

Let me translate ...

"we are saving money and reducing services"

At least you had a proper consul up in Chiang Mai. Down here in the boonies we only had a Honary Consulate ... ie - part time unpaid volunteer. Really could do little other than visit UK inmates in Thai jails, offer advice, but nothing useful for the long stay Brits. I well remember the day a friend was cremated at the Patong Wat, the Hon Consul showed up, I thought that was nice, until he presented a bill to the grieving girl friend for a UK death certificate for a couple of thousand baht. Guy only showed to extract his money from the penniless g/f. The British Foreign Service at is best ... not....

[Fookhaht]

After working in the corporate world for 30+ years, I've learned to be suspicious of words like "streamlined."

(Just like "redirected" for which they used to say "layoffs." Or "HR file documentation" which actually means, "We're collecting evidence to fire your sorry ass.")

Same ilk.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Fookhaht

[Mousehound]

As a matter of interest what do Ausies do re documentation in CM?

[ThePlant]

It won't be long before they go whole hog and just close the Embassy, all consulates the lot.

Soon anyone who has any problems we'll have to wait 5 weeks for Diplomatic Assistance from HK or New Delhi

A disgrace......

I had opened a decent dialogue with my former MP (now sadly deceased) who, in return, had expressed serious alarm at his perceived abandonment of British Nationals overseas by this administration. It is worth expressing your dismay and disgust to your MPs and the FCO about the pointlessness of their existence in Thailand at the moment, in regards for their (non) usefulness towards British nationals in the Kingdom.

Sadly for we Brits, I can't see it getting any better soon. Both this current Tory administration and their Labour predecessors decided the primary function of the FCO should be to promote British Interests overseas (meaning their and their cronies' business interests overseas) and B*llocks to the tax payer...let them stew.....

[Loaded]

"The strategy commits us to providing a more professional, modern and streamlined service for British Nationals who require access to notarial and documentary services."

They are implying that the service In Chiang Mai isn't professional and British citizens will receive a better service by travelling all the way to Bangkok.

I saw a child protection online course employees of the BC needed to pass in order to continue their employment. There were around 8 different scenarios and just about all involved a suspicious looking middle-aged white man. No members of ethnic communities or females. However, when it comes to promoting British Education, you can't bloody find a white middle-aged man in their promotional literature - everyone's ethnic and/or female.

[Thunder26]

I'm not British, but I was involved in helping a British citizen overseas with his passport renewal in 2014. And I couldn't believe how expensive, long and poor their service was! UK passport office should learn from 3rd world countries how to run these things. Whatever they do now is not in any way to facilitate British citizens overseas, which I think is disgraceful.

[JimShortz]

They should just get on and close it... It does nothing anyway, save the money!

OR, make it useful again!

[Microwave]

After working in the corporate world for 30+ years, I've learned to be suspicious of words like "streamlined."

(Just like "redirected" for which they used to say "layoffs." Or "HR file documentation" which actually means, "We're collecting evidence to fire your sorry ass.")

Same ilk.

"Alignment" is another such corporate word...

[Lobin]

What a caring government we you have.

It's an absolute embarrassment of a place, now they are not even offering those services (most expensive piece of A4 paper I ever bought), it is better to close the place and stop some freeloaders getting salary for doing nothing.

The british government representation in Chiang Mai an absolute joke. But then the british government is a joke full stop.

[Torrens54]

LAZY BRITS.

They only take on the role in order to get the Perks, Duty Free Booze and opportunity to "Pose" at Freebie Functions.

[Beetlejuice]

They should just get on and close it... It does nothing anyway, save the money!

OR, make it useful again!

I guess this is on the cards. It is obvious the FCO are winding it down. I can`t think of any reason why I would need to visit the Chiang Mai British Consulate anymore. They no longer assist with passport applications and now they ceased issuing letters and statements I cannot see how the consulate would be of any use to both ex-pats or British tourists, so they may just as well close it down completely and have done with it.

[northernboy]

As a matter of interest what do Ausies do re documentation in CM?

BKK

[slipperylobster]

My take on it is that there are just too many Brits retiring here, and they cannot keep up with you.

[awayego]

"The strategy commits us to providing a more professional, modern and streamlined service for British Nationals who require access to notarial and documentary services."

What a load of BS!

They have such contempt for our intelligence - our heads DO NOT zip up the back!

Yet again ex-pats are being marginalised and swept under the carpet by a government that couldn't give a toss.

[Chicken George]

The Brit Consulate gave me an excellent service.But now they are of no use what so ever. I expect them to be closed by end of this tax year.

[RoyStratton]

I live in Chiang Rai and i got a letter from the UK pension service it was a Life Certificate to prove i am still alive and kicking,it said on the form to get it signed by any Professional person i did not want to go all the way to the British Consulate in Chiang Mai,so i went to my bank they said no in case there are are problems afterwards,so i said what problems it is just to prove that i am alive and living in Thailand,so next i went to the Police Station after about a hour of my passport being handed around they said the same thing so i went home thinking well i will just have to go to the consulate,then my school teacher friend said come with me he took me to my local hospital where for 70bht i was examined for high blood pressure and looked at my heart she said ok and the form was signed by a lady doctor in all of 15 minutes.

[Loaded]

The consulate and the teaching centre go together. They operate on the same rented land. There have been rumours for many years about the teaching centre closing down. A few years ago they were instructed to actually obtain a school license for the teaching centre but this has been problematic because now to license a new school it must be purpose built (The BC TC operates from an old bank building).

In the past their teaching centres used 'diplomatic' and 'charitable' status to work around local laws and regulations. Many countries have caught on to this and now make them jump through the same hoops as locally owned schools.

There must be loose ends such as leases and employment contracts that need to be honoured, but my money is definitely on the whole compound going before 2016. Maybe there will just be a small consular representation in a rented office near the airport from next year.

[kjhbigv]

So what exactly is it for now? A glorified civil servant holiday home?

May as well close it completely if you are not going to offer any services to British Ex-Pats in CM!

[masuk]

As a matter of interest what do Ausies do re documentation in CM?

We've got a very helpful honorary consul.

I hope all the cost-cutting in Oz does not alter things.

[Time Traveller]

I'm not British, but what exactly does their consulate do there if they don't help their own citizens? Is Chiang Mai such a thriving industrial base for British direct investment that British companies supercede the interest of their citizens?

[paulchiangmai]

They should just get on and close it... It does nothing anyway, save the money!

OR, make it useful again!

I have had extremely good service from the Chiang Mai office over many years.

[lee b]

1 word to sum up the consulate in Chiang Mai would be USELESS.

[true blue]

just been to chiang mai consulate to get a income cert letter,there not sure if there closing or not cousulate lady did not seem to perturbed,she said same proplem about letters at samui and other out lying districts all got to apply bangkok,will go the bank letter route next time.hope they dont mess that up in some way.

[GoNavy]

"The strategy commits us to providing a more professional, modern and streamlined service for British Nationals who require access to notarial and documentary services."

So they are saying that the consulates were NOT providing professional service. Typical government bovine excrement. Others saying it is another way to save money and or their budget is not enough to provide service. Governments are good in providing some kind of structure but they are playing games with their citizens on the hoops and lack of concern to their citizens. The looks in the camera that they do is acting.

I being American had to use my consulate in Acapulco. She was worthless. More of a fashion statement and cocktail party member then anything else. The consulate wasn't even hooked up to the National State department by internet. Had no help with lost passport other then call your home state for a copy of your birth certificate. The consulate gave a myriad of worthless smiles. All in all the assistance was a worthless as "tits on a boar."

So goes government.

[MESmith]

They should just get on and close it... It does nothing anyway, save the money!

OR, make it useful again!

I have had extremely good service from the Chiang Mai office over many years.

The good service you had over many years is meaningless now that the consul does virtually nothing for UK citizens in northern Thailand.

As Jim says, either close it or make it useful again