Brisbane Australia Honorary Thai Consulate Closing On March 27, 2015

[Sparkles]

In Chiang Mai we have also lost our honorary consul which means for many a trek to Bangkok. Obviously becoming a rare and endangered species.

[cardinalblue]

Should I ask an ignorant question? Where was manpower planning?

No one is irreplaceable...well, maybe Abe Lincoln...

[nzexpat]

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In Chiang Mai we have also lost our honorary consul which means for many a trek to Bangkok. Obviously becoming a rare and endangered species.

Which Honorary Consul is being discussed ?

Why would "many have" to trek to Bangkok ?

What would the "many" be seeking that cannot be achieved by post ?

Edited March 21, 2015 by nzexpat

[noddy77]

I heard that Bill was getting out middle of last year and a new guy was talking over. Not sure if this happened or not but it really is a sad loss as he provided a service second to none.

Maybe the new guy found it all too difficult.

[GreasyFingers]

Good to hear all of the good comments on the consulate. I have only been using them for 4 years but have had the same services as described above. Did not talk to Bill but Mrs Chamaiporn was always most helpful. I was lucky this time as I phoned them early this month and they said the office had been sold and were unsure if they would receive a postal application in time. Sent the application next day and the passport and visa were returned in 3 days.

I had changed to Brisbane because Sydney said they would not issue a multiple entry Non-O.

[Beng]

Not a good way to attract retirees, etc.

[bdenner]

Agreed, between the Perth consulate, of a few years ago, Brisbane and (I believe) Hull in the UK there was little difference between their attitude toward customers. Helpful, friendly and other adjectives one may choose to use describing their great services are well deserved.

[David Walden]

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Does anyone know why he resigned ?

I would imagine that the immigration laws and entry permits to visit the Thailand are so confusing and time consuming for any Thai Consul anywhere in the world would be considering giving up the job. My experience in Perth when I applied for Thai tourist visa required me to buy ticket out of the country before the 60 day section was concluded, I then had to throw that ticket away because I wanted to extend another 30 days...what's the point of getting a 60 day + 30 day extension option tourist visa if I'm required to have a ticket out of the country after 60 days ( low cost no refund)...I don't think the immigration dept in Thailand has got a clue of how to run the show...pitty!

I made my visa application by post as I live in a country town in W.A. I forgot to include a copy of my passport with the passport sent. It was against regulations for the Consul to photocopy it for me so the hole lot had to be returned and I had to photocopy the passport ans resend it to the Consul registered post and another prepaid express envelope. The Consul agreed he did have a photocopy machine in his office but regulations are regulations, he would not photocopy it for love nor money...perhaps this sort of thing is why it's a tough job being a Thai Consul anywhere

It's a pathetically stupid situation that you need to buy a ticket returning within the first 60 days when everyone connected in any way with Thailand knows full well that anyone can extend their stay by 30 days by paying a small fee to immigration inside the country.

I wonder how the TAT feel about this. It's like TAT want people to come to Thailand but everyone else is working to make it harder for people to come.

In my experience people tend to follow the route of least resistance which might often mean going somewhere else.

PS by contrast my last trip to Chiang Mia via KL as a transit passenger through Malaysia I received a 90 day tourist visa without asking in 30 seconds even though my stopover for my connection to CM both ways was only about 10hrs and with a big smile and a happy reminder by the immigration officer that I can extend my stopover and perhaps extend my holiday. Thailand has a lot of homework to do???

[johnno2]

I dealt with the Brisbane Consulate 3 times and everytime it was a joy. I emailed them with my many dumb questions and Bill always replied with an answer or suggestion. I have been to Chaeng Wattana 3 times since I arrived here and I get cold sweats of trepidation everytime before I go there. If every consul or immigration centre gave service as Bill provided, life here would be simple

[fishingforsquid]

He was known as Khun Bin, to anyone who spoke Thai.
Enjoy retirement sir, the best consul ever.

(Sorry about the time on that flight, oh my, it was the medication!)

[ubonjoe]

A defamatory post based upon speculation and replies to it has been removed.

[Daniel Boon]

I've used Brisbane several times, only met female Thai staff who were polite and helpful.

One time l was there, and a seedy looking bloke (who obviously had applied) was told 'no visa'.

[Wanphen]

Very Sad News indeed

Firstly Thank you Bill and all the great Staff for all you done over many years.

And as so many have stated before you will be very sorley missed.

Wishing you a very long and Happy Retirement.

Thanks once again for your kindness and help

From

Wanphen & Martin Shipton

[daiwill60]

This consulate may have been "friendly" in the same manner as the UK consulate in Hull was "friendly"

Hull is now very restricted in the business the consulate is permitted to undertake.

When (if) the Brisbane consulate reopens I predict that "visas" will prove more difficult to obtain.

The one in Cardiff UK is also very good

[MrWorldwide]

I found them very efficient, but 'friendly' might be a stretch at least on my visits. I assume that the workload was horrendous, but I have never pushed for anything resembling 'priority processing' on a visa application and I know many others did. Switched to Penang when I realised I didnt even need to front up to the Consulate to get a tourist visa and never really looked back. With the Aussie dollar still hovering slightly below 25 baht, I'm not sure how many would have been looking for 3 months+ but then I'm constantly surprised by the number of Aussie accents I hear in Pattaya in this lowest of high seasons.

Anyway, I agree that its a backward step and I wish everyone involved all the best in their future endeavours.

[Guest]

also so sorry to hear this i always found the consulate very helpful and friendly the best anywhere

[Straight8]

I can vouch for the Thai Consulate in Tasmania.

Fast turn around, never an issue.

[JimHuaHin]

Can I just add my thanks and appreciation to Bill and his staff.

Although I never met Bill, we did engage in email exchanges for a brief time, as I was planning my retirement here.

Ever time I had to use the Brisbane Consulate for visas or advice, I found their assistance invaluable.

Thank you Bill and your staff for your fantastic service.

I hope you enjoy you long retirement.

[Wanphen]

I emailed Bill Dunn today saying I was sad to hear via Thaivisa of his retirement and he should read the many great comments left on it, here is part of his reply which may help us all understand the situation better.

From Bill Dunn.

I have been trying to retire for the last three years, but no answer was the stern

reply from them's above me. I did have a couple of Aces to play. I was the landlord to the Consulate, having built the

joint to enable a move from Wickham Terrace about 15 years ago. I accelerated my retirement plans by putting the

place on the market at the end of this January. One great charity quickly purchased the place and will put their brass

on my lawyers desk this coming Friday, and they take possession straight away. I'm left with a life account of enough

to get a good few frothies down the throat in my proposed immediate retirement in the Kingdom with the child bride.

Wanphen

[illy]

I can vouch for the Thai Consulate in Tasmania.

Fast turn around, never an issue.

Where is the Tas consulate? I return to tas twice a year but always did the visa thru Brisbane.

[tried to PM you but seems the 'system' has gone haywire and wont work]

[Straight8]

I can vouch for the Thai Consulate in Tasmania.

Fast turn around, never an issue.

Where is the Tas consulate? I return to tas twice a year but always did the visa thru Brisbane.

[tried to PM you but seems the 'system' has gone haywire and wont work]

Ok illy, seems you got my reply.. but just incase anyone else is intereted, it's located at Mt. Nelson.

Google should be able to point you directly to their website.

[ubonjoe]

I can vouch for the Thai Consulate in Tasmania.

Fast turn around, never an issue.

Where is the Tas consulate? I return to tas twice a year but always did the visa thru Brisbane.

[tried to PM you but seems the 'system' has gone haywire and wont work]

Click this link I posted in the OP. http://canberra.thai.../consulate.html

Contact info for all the honorary consulates is there.

[brancodug]

Never used Brisbane but always heard good reports, Perth used to be great, It's ok now still nice people to deal with, Melbourne was good also

Sydney was ok but very straight down the line. I will never use The Canberra Embassy again she is one strange person tp deal with even the girls in Melbourne said she wasn't all there.

[Julie H]

I had changed to Brisbane because Sydney said they would not issue a multiple entry Non-O.

I had no problems with with Sydney this year for multi non o (marriage) lucky i had original marriage certificate & kor ror 2 though, something not stated on website

[MrWorldwide]

The Consulates are a joke - no consistency in their interpretation of whatever Immigration guidelines are in place at any given time. Brisbane was definitely one of the better ones, but they all suffer from something which could easily be remedied by a decent web developer working with Immigration in Bangkok - a single, authoritative web presence which listed opening hours at each Consulate and gave you a link to the forms you needed and instructions for completing them along with the necessary documentation. All the exceptions etc could be spelt out on a single site and Immigration could update that site as necessary (along with prior notification to the consulates). Dealing with Thai Immigration locally is all the excitement I need in my life - the thought of hanging around a Consulate waiting for them to dot the i's and cross the t's just to get a 60-day tourist visa does nothing for me.

[gigman]

One of last human with the big heart...

and his service people.

It's a big loss for Brisbane

[ubonjoe]

The Consulates are a joke - no consistency in their interpretation of whatever Immigration guidelines are in place at any given time. Brisbane was definitely one of the better ones, but they all suffer from something which could easily be remedied by a decent web developer working with Immigration in Bangkok - a single, authoritative web presence which listed opening hours at each Consulate and gave you a link to the forms you needed and instructions for completing them along with the necessary documentation. All the exceptions etc could be spelt out on a single site and Immigration could update that site as necessary (along with prior notification to the consulates). Dealing with Thai Immigration locally is all the excitement I need in my life - the thought of hanging around a Consulate waiting for them to dot the i's and cross the t's just to get a 60-day tourist visa does nothing for me.

Immigration has nothing to do with embassies and consulates. They are not even part of the same Ministry. Embassies and consulates are under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and immigration is under the Interior Ministry.

You seem to lumping embassies and official consulates together with honorary consulates. Most honorary consulates are much easier to deal with than an embassy or official consulate.

There is this website that has links to all embassy and official consulate websites. http://www.thaiembassy.org/main/ Of course there are several of them that have little or no useful information.

[enufsaid]

Nice to see so many positive posts for a change,

[oldsailor35]

This consulate may have been "friendly" in the same manner as the UK consulate in Hull was "friendly"

Hull is now very restricted in the business the consulate is permitted to undertake.

When (if) the Brisbane consulate reopens I predict that "visas" will prove more difficult to obtain.

The one in Cardiff UK is also very good

Well thats a great improvement. A couple of years ago i drove from Bournemouth arriving 15 mins before closing and was made to come back the next day. The whole process only took 8 mins. But it cost me a night in a hotel. No where was there a more friendly and helpful Consul than Bill Dunns Brisbane one. Well done Bill you were a hero !

[oldsailor35]

This is a massive blow to me. I fly back to Brisbane next month to get my 9th Non Imm 'O' Now i don't know where to go for it.