Australian Embassy to conduct a Consular outreach visits to Chiang Mai and Phuket

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

4 November 2015

The Consular Section of the Australian Embassy in Bangkok will be undertaking Consular outreach visits to Chiang Mai and Phuket as follows:

CHIANG MAI

Monday 9 November 2015 from 8.30am to 12.00pm and 1.00pm to 3.00pm at:

Tamarind Village Chiang Mai
50/1 Rajdamnoen Road, Tambon Sri Pum
Amphoe Muang, Chiang Mai 50200
Ph: 053 418 896

PHUKET

Friday 13 November 2015, between the hours of 9.00am to 12.00pm and 1.00pm to 3.00pm at:

77/77 Unit 6D Moo 5, Chalermprakiat Rama 9
Rasada Sub-District, Muang Phuket District
Phuket Province
Ph: 076 510 111

During the outreach visits, we will provide the following services:

Passport applications - please ensure you bring all original documents and a photocopy of each document with you.
Notarial Services.

Statutory Declarations for marriage, retirement visas and driving license renewals.

Witnessing documents.

Certified true copies of documents (please ensure you bring the original and a photocopy of each document with you).

Fees are payable in cash only. Please contact the Consular Section on 02 344 6300 or email [email protected] prior to your visit to confirm fees payable.

37 South Sathorn Road Bangkok 10120 Tel 02 344 6300 Fax 02 344 6593 www.thailand.embassy.gov.au

-- 2015-11-04

Does this include Passport Renewals. This visit is a bit too soon for me - are they doing regular visits/visit in the future.

Any advice appreciated.

Edited November 4, 201510 yr by thenewgoo

Yes it does.

This will be the fourth visit to Chiang Mai this Year

In other news, the UK embassy announces all visits must be by pre-booked appointments between 8am and 8:10am and documents can be picked up between 4pm and 4:10pm.

A minimum charge of £100 will be applied just for us getting out of bed to let you in and we will make sure their is only one Thai staff (with good, but not perfect, English) to take care of all people at any time - including the guy who takes hours because the poor soul is being bounced backwards and forwards around Bangkok trying to sort out paperwork for his son to go to the UK.

Yes it does.

This will be the fourth visit to Chiang Mai this Year

Many thanks for that. I assume there will be more in the future.

Nice to see Sir Les Paterson's back

Good on the Aussies!

I won't be holding my breath waiting for the Brits to follow suit, hell freezing over seems more likely.

Good on the Aussies!

I won't be holding my breath waiting for the Brits to follow suit, hell freezing over seems more likely

Quite obviously Canberra hasn't heard of this , another budget cut coming.

Good on the Aussies!

I won't be holding my breath waiting for the Brits to follow suit, hell freezing over seems more likely

Quite obviously Canberra hasn't heard of this , another budget cut coming.

To lodge a passport application or a renewal the Australian Embassy charge an extra $100.00 for the privilege to do so. This came into effect as of 1/07/2015.

Thanks again to Julie Bishop

I understand this initiative arises from the honorary consul in Chiang Mai for many years ( unpaid ) getting fed up with Embassy nit-picking and telling officials to shove it. Yet another waste of Australian taxpayers' money.

A couple of examples of how Foreign Affairs dispenses taxpayer dollars:

I've seen the Indonesian holiday place for the Australian Ambassador and his staff in the highlands a few hours' drive outside Jakarta. It's not a house or a mansion, it's a bloody palace.

During his tenure as Foreign Minister, Al Grassby and his wife on overseas trips would order thousands of dollars worth of flowers delivered to their hotel suite every day. Why? Because they could. No wonder Kevin Rudd and Bob Carr liked the position of Foreign Minister.

Check out the prices on Tamarind Village where expats are supposed to go - reasonably eye-watering.

Consular outreach? Yeah right. Excuse me while I vomit.

What's the chances of any passports(10 year)being due when they come.Junket paid with my taxes.Typical of public servants and govt.

I understand this initiative arises from the honorary consul in Chiang Mai for many years ( unpaid ) getting fed up with Embassy nit-picking and telling officials to shove it. Yet another waste of Australian taxpayers' money.

A couple of examples of how Foreign Affairs dispenses taxpayer dollars:

I've seen the Indonesian holiday place for the Australian Ambassador and his staff in the highlands a few hours' drive outside Jakarta. It's not a house or a mansion, it's a bloody palace.

During his tenure as Foreign Minister, Al Grassby and his wife on overseas trips would order thousands of dollars worth of flowers delivered to their hotel suite every day. Why? Because they could. No wonder Kevin Rudd and Bob Carr liked the position of Foreign Minister.

Check out the prices on Tamarind Village where expats are supposed to go - reasonably eye-watering.

Consular outreach? Yeah right. Excuse me while I vomit.

The Australian Honorary Consul in Chiang Mai, Mike Walther, has not spat the dummy as you imply. He is in his eighties and is calling it quit. But your right that he has no support from DFAT. Everything he has done has been out of his own pocket.

His replacement has been nominated and he is a retired public servant from Canberra. I fervently hope he plays the same role as Mike and that is to look after his Australian flock rather than be just another bureaucrat.

All Australians in Chiang Mai owe Mike a huge debt of gratitude.

I applaud the Oz Embassy for this initiative and for the fact that such visits are becoming reasonably predictable. I just hope this predictability continues and they return in February when I will need them.

I just wish a little more notice would be given - say 1 month.

I know I can phone the embassy and ask this, although I phoned the embassy Yesterday and was told to send passports and Bank Draft etc...

there was NO Mention of this Visit to CNX, so I'll ask you good folks......

I need to have Australian Permanent Residency "stickers" transferred from my Wife and my Daughter's OLD THAI Passports to their NEW Thai Passports... anyone know by chance, if I can get this done here, during the Outreach Visit ?

Thanks in advance !

Edited November 4, 201510 yr by Torrens54

what is a "consular outreach visit" ? And what is the purpose?

People renew passports when their old ones expire. They don't really have a choice to wait until one of these visits. And with just 2 weeks notice in advance, most others have probably have already made other plans.

Good on the Aussies!

I won't be holding my breath waiting for the Brits to follow suit, hell freezing over seems more likely

Quite obviously Canberra hasn't heard of this , another budget cut coming.

To lodge a passport application or a renewal the Australian Embassy charge an extra $100.00 for the privilege to do so. This came into effect as of 1/07/2015.

Thanks again to Julie Bishop

You're right. A$350 - that must be one of the most expensive passports on earth - more than twice the cost of a US or UK 10yr passport.

And they always put up the prices on aussie passports and visas every year as well. Lucky for those with second passport/nationalities, I guess.

Edited November 5, 201510 yr by Time Traveller