British Embassy in Bangkok changes appointment system

[sambum]

I renewed my daughter's British passport at Trendy House a month ago. I found the service to be quick and efficient apart from the silly thing about having to colour copy every page of an empty passport.

Those racists among the readers here who hanker after the Empire should consider - in their twilight years - that time does indeed tend to change things.

Time does indeed tend to change things, but why is it that in the case of The British Embassy in Bangkok those changes

never seem to be for the better?

Having paid my "dues" for more than 45 years before retiring, I would have thought that the services provided by the British Embassy should be paid for by the British Government using the money that I and millions of other British people have coughed up over the years!

[Thai at Heart]

I renewed my daughter's British passport at Trendy House a month ago. I found the service to be quick and efficient apart from the silly thing about having to colour copy every page of an empty passport.

Those racists among the readers here who hanker after the Empire should consider - in their twilight years - that time does indeed tend to change things.

Time does indeed tend to change things, but why is it that in the case of The British Embassy in Bangkok those changes

never seem to be for the better?

Having paid my "dues" for more than 45 years before retiring, I would have thought that the services provided by the British Embassy should be paid for by the British Government using the money that I and millions of other British people have coughed up over the years!

Embassies are treated as a cost centre, and as such have to try to cover their costs. They are basically diplo-economic offices.

Passports are not handled by the embassy, and they charge foreigners a fee to get a visa. Other than a letter for retirement, I am not sure what you have to pay the embassy for.

[sambum]

Why have an embassy at all? What possible help can they give a uk citizen anyway except say don't return home there's no jobs. The British Empire has turned into little britain. No wonder they're are so many British expats living over here, here we're treated better.Great Britain should be renamed and ambassador Mark Kent does renewing your passport take 9 weeks compared to 4 years ago when it only took 11 days to receive a new passport. What a turn around for UK expats. Maybe the real reason we don't want to go home is that we're ashamed to. What has happened to our Empire?

What on earth are you prattling on about.

Unemployment is tumbling, we can't get labour around here.

The govt hasn't got any money because the previous bunch splurged it away and then bailed out the world. Hence why the service is being reduced.

Our empire disappeared decades ago, didn't you notice....but still have plenty of things that are light years ahead of the rest of the world.

"The govt hasn't got any money because the previous bunch splurged it away and then bailed out the world."

Completely off topic, but the usual tired old excuse for any Government that finds itself in a financial crisis - blame the previous Government - YAWN!

[Dogbarker]

Thailand is superior to the UK in some respects. Thailand can give every citizen an ID card, I think it costs 20 baht and has a photo and a chip on it. Having one is a pass for health care, banks etc it's a simple proof of who you are and what you are entitled to. The UK had a go but gave up as the cards cost 200 quid!

Although I agree with much of your postings may I respectfully correct your UK ID point :

"The 15,000 people who voluntarily paid £30 for a card since the 2009 roll out in Manchester will not get a refund.

Ms May said ID card holders would at least have a "souvenir" of the scheme." source http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8707355.stm

The Card scheme was Voluntary - I WAS ONE OF THOSE 15,000 and my wife was another- 2 x£30 =£60 wasted for a so called "souvenir" ????????? another souvenir of Rip Off Britain! ??????

[sambum]

I renewed my daughter's British passport at Trendy House a month ago. I found the service to be quick and efficient apart from the silly thing about having to colour copy every page of an empty passport.

Those racists among the readers here who hanker after the Empire should consider - in their twilight years - that time does indeed tend to change things.

Time does indeed tend to change things, but why is it that in the case of The British Embassy in Bangkok those changes

never seem to be for the better?

Having paid my "dues" for more than 45 years before retiring, I would have thought that the services provided by the British Embassy should be paid for by the British Government using the money that I and millions of other British people have coughed up over the years!

Embassies are treated as a cost centre, and as such have to try to cover their costs. They are basically diplo-economic offices.

Passports are not handled by the embassy, and they charge foreigners a fee to get a visa. Other than a letter for retirement, I am not sure what you have to pay the embassy for.

"Cost centre"? "Diplo-economic office"? As I have already suggested, it is a British Embassy which IMHO should be funded by the British Government as it is providing services for British citizens.

"Passports are not handled by the Embassy". They should be - were they not at one time? Change is not always good.

"They charge foreigners a fee to get a visa". Quite right. too - they are not British citizens.

There are quite a few services that they charge for, and these are shown on the Gov.UK website.

[jacko45k]

No way i'm paying 60 quid for a letter to prove income from those shites, I'd rather keep a bit more in the bank here for an extension and you get a better interest rate anyway. The only reason I would ever go to the Embassy would be for a travel document if I lost my passport, I expect they screw you for that as well.

Yes, if one had the capital, put 800k (or 400k) on deposit at a few % and leave it alone. Good emergency money too. All that traipsing to BKK and the price of documents is too much.

[Pomrakuhn]

I just renewed my passport in Bangkok it came in 17 days. (17th Feb to 4th March). Staff were polite and efficient.
It cost 106.01 Pounds and was sent by DHL not the Thai PO !
With the new pp they gave me the blank form to certify to Immigration that my pp was genuine.
I took it the Embassy and waited 12 minutes while they stamped and signed it....no Charge.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Pomrakuhn

[evadgib]

Passport renewals & visas to UK are about as much to do with the Embassy as putting a fire out is to The Sweeney!

Edited March 13, 2015 by evadgib

[evadgib]

And who is it do you think pays for overseas embassies? The beleaguered British taxpayer who has faced cuts in public services, a run down of the NHS and increases in fees and charges, like cost of passports, over here!! Why should we in UK subsidise the requirements of ex pats who've chosen to live overseas. Thailand doesn't subsidise the Royal Thai Consulates overseas. They have to pay their way out of fees they charge in whatever country they are located. Why should UK be different in Thailand? ?

A very good point Corkie, however, consider this. Despite currently residing in Thailand, I am also a beleaguered British taxpayer who has well over 30+ years of 'contributions' in the governments coffers. I do not get any public services. I do not get anything from the NHS. So why can't I get something from the British government in the form of an embassy and it's services ( services, that's some kind of a joke ) ? I am sure the British embassy here makes a profit on their services judging by the fees they charge -- even to speak to someone on the phone you need to quote a credit card number first so I very much doubt they are a burden on a British citizen who is still lining the pockets of the UK government in the form of taxes etc. back home.

As an aside many years ago I was involved in transport. When the British embassy in the Czec Republic was having building alterations and repairs done, ALL materials were containerized and transported by road from the UK to the embassy. You'd probably find all the building workers were British too. Tell me if I am wrong, but wasn't this a case of the British government wasting the British taxpayers money as opposed to British citizens living abroad ?

Factually incorrect. Calls of this nature only apply re passport enquiries and are nothing whatsoever to do with.....

Edited March 13, 2015 by evadgib

[Veritas48]

So many whiney Brits. Glad to be shot of you but you'll be up at the Embassy for a handout from the taxpayers when yer money runs out.

Irony seems to escape people who whine incessantly ....about people who whine!

[phutoie2]

I just renewed my passport in Bangkok it came in 17 days. (17th Feb to 4th March). Staff were polite and efficient.

It cost 106.01 Pounds and was sent by DHL not the Thai PO !

With the new pp they gave me the blank form to certify to Immigration that my pp was genuine.

I took it the Embassy and waited 12 minutes while they stamped and signed it....no Charge.

Likewise, no complaints from me also, plus two cracking nights out in Bangkok. Some of that fee you quote goes to DHL, nice little earner for them.

Used to be in the parcel delivery service myself many years back. DHL were always referred to as documents handled & lost.

[draftvader]

Off-topic post removed that also broke a forum rule about external content.

14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

In this case it was a number of images of text.

[sambum]

Off-topic post removed that also broke a forum rule about external content.

14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

In this case it was a number of images of text.

My apologies!

[Nicolas32]

Off-topic post removed that also broke a forum rule about external content.

14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

In this case it was a number of images of text.

My apologies but everything can be found here via parliament just how messed up the FCO it was early in the morning and still half a sleep but some of the stuff is shocking for a nation like the UK .. Foreign Affairs Committee - Fifth Report Support for British nationals abroad: The Consular Service http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmfaff/516/51602.htm

What a joke..? We are satisfied that the Consular Service is one of the FCO's top priorities in reality, as well as on paper, and that considerable thought and creativity has gone into the delivery of improved consular services. The FCO has made major improvements to its consular service over the last eight years, with sensible and effective innovations such as the call centres, the crisis centre, and the reduction in notarial services.

[CMPEPE]

URGENT

Not sure if this the right place to post so apologies in advance if this is wrong or a repeated question.

I need to renew my british passport because it is full, not expiring for 1 more year (May 2016) and my current ed-visa will expire on the 19th May 2015. I need to get my passport back before then in order to exit for a new visa at the end of May. I live in Chiang Mai and there is no way I am forking out extra on 2 round trips just so someone can confirm that I can actually fill out a form and provide a photo of myself that does indeed look like me, so my question is: Has anyone posted their application directly back to the UK passport application office? If so how did it work out? How long turnaround? Any special instructions?

Thank you for any useful information

[evadgib]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fco-launches-new-consular-appointment-booking-service