EnhancePlus Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Hi - I made an appointment with the US embassy for June 1; not knowing it was Visakha Bucha. The appointment was confirmed through their booking. Does anybody know if they'll be open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 If you believe their calendar, they are open: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/holidays.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnhancePlus Posted May 30, 2015 Author Share Posted May 30, 2015 Thanks, KhunBENQ! I looked at the page for hours of operation but didn't find the page you posted. Most appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 It is not a recognized U.S. holiday and I very much expect they will be open as they do not recognize Buddhist holidays. For example they were recently closed on 25 May which was the U.S. Memorial day the equivalent of what the Brits would call Decoration Day on which we pay memorial to war vets who died in the military services. However the U/S .embassy will certainly be closed on the 4th of July, American Independence day 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 embassy will certainly be closed on the 4th of July, American Independence day This year definitely as it is a Saturday And Friday July 3 closed as a subsitute day for July 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackcab Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) It is not a recognized U.S. holiday and I very much expect they will be open as they do not recognize Buddhist holidays. For example they were recently closed on 25 May which was the U.S. Memorial day the equivalent of what the Brits would call Decoration Day on which we pay memorial to war vets who died in the military services. However the U/S .embassy will certainly be closed on the 4th of July, American Independence day In Britain it is called Remembrance Day. It's officially the 11th November, but is observed on the nearest Sunday to the 11th November.In Britain, neither Remembrance Day nor Remembrance Sunday are public holidays. Edited May 31, 2015 by blackcab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 It is not a recognized U.S. holiday and I very much expect they will be open as they do not recognize Buddhist holidays. For example they were recently closed on 25 May which was the U.S. Memorial day the equivalent of what the Brits would call Decoration Day on which we pay memorial to war vets who died in the military services. However the U/S .embassy will certainly be closed on the 4th of July, American Independence day They observe both American and Thai holidays, but in this case it is a religious & a substitute holiday Hours of Operation The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Embassy’s Consular Section is open to the public Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., except Thai and American holidays. We are also closed to the public on the last Friday of every month. You must have an appointment for non-emergency services. Appointments must be made on-line by clicking here. ACS Office Hours (telephone and emergency services only) are 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher0826 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Here is the complete closure schedule US Embassy Holiday Schedule 2015 Month Date Day Occasion January 1 Thursday New Year’s Day January 2 Friday Special Public Holiday January 19 Monday Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday February 16 Monday Presidents’ Day April 6 Monday Chakri Day April 13 Monday Songkran Festival April 14 Tuesday Songkran Festival April 15 Wednesday Songkran Festival May 5 Tuesday Coronation Day May 25 Monday Memorial Day July 3 Friday Substitute day of Independence Day, Saturday July 4th August 12 Wednesday Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday September 7 Monday Labor Day October 12 Monday Columbus Day October 23 Friday Chulalongkorn Day November 11 Wednesday Veterans Day November 26 Thursday Thanksgiving Day December 7 Monday Substitute day of His Majesty the King's Birthday, Saturday December 5th December 10 Thursday Constitution Day December 25 Friday Christmas Day December 31 Thursday New Year's Eve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I think my link from post #2 is easier to read http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/holidays.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smotherb Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I think my link from post #2 is easier to read http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/holidays.html I feel for you KhunBENQ. It seems some people cannot research--a simple google of, "us embassy bangkok holidays" would have given the information--while others just don't read--even when you give the website to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignatzmouse Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I formerly worked at the US Embassy in BKK. It is not that the USG/Embassy does not "recognize" Thai religious holidays. As stated in the US Foreign Affairs Manual..."2 FAM 115.2 Holidays (CT:GEN-339; 10-17-2007) a. All posts abroad are closed to the public annually on U.S. holidays listed in 3 FAM 2337.1. If any authorized Federal holiday falls on a Sunday, the office is closed on the following Monday. If such a holiday falls on a Saturday, the office is closed on the preceding Friday. Posts are notified when additional days are designated as national holidays by statute or by Executive Order. For posts with a workweek other than Monday through Friday, see 3 FAM 2337.2. b. The Principal Officer at each post is authorized to designate local holidays that are of sufficient importance to warrant observance by closing the office to the public. The Chief of Mission in each country coordinates the observance of local holidays by all posts under his or her jurisdiction (see 3 FAM 3464). c. Days may be designated as local holidays only if: (1) Such days are customarily observed as holidays by the local government, local business firms, and the diplomatic and consular offices of other countries; (2) Failure to observe such days would be contrary to the interest of the United States; or (3) If it would be impractical to keep the office open because of drastic curtailment of normal services, such as transportation or building maintenance. d. Posts should endeavor to restrict the number of designated local holidays to the number of U.S. holidays or fewer. Should the customarily observed holidays be more than 10, only the more important ones should be designated." Per my count of holidays on US Embassy BKK's website, the Embassy is closed on 10 US public holidays this year, as defined by the FAM, above. The FAM also states that the Chief of Mission should try to limit the number closures due to Thai holidays to (around) the same number as US holidays. The COM also has the discretion to determine which Thai holidays should merit closure of Embassy/Consulate operations, per the criteria listed above. For 2015, for example, the number of US Mission closures is 12. In my opinion, the fact that the Embassy is open on Thai religious holidays does the Thai public a service. Those who work at the Embassy and wish for religious reasons to observe the holiday are (in my experience) entitled to a paid day off thru use of their annual leave. Thais who do not work for the Embassy and have the day off from their regular jobs can avail themselves of Embassy services such as visa applications/interviews, registration of births of marriages, notarial services, etc. To suggest that the US, as a non-Buddhist country, in any way "discriminates" against those observing the religion is erroneous. FYI, in the US we do not designate such religious holidays as Yom Kippur, Eid, or any others, but those observing these important days are usually granted the same privilege. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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