Of Interest to Brits

[evadgib]

Note the new fees from 05 Apr 16:

How to obtain a pension/income letter for Thai Immigration

Affirmation of marital status for Thailand

Thailand – Consular Fees

[OJAS]

The cost of a pension/income letter is up by 6% (from £47 to £50 excluding postage), whereas annual CPI inflation is currently running at less than 1% in both the UK and Thailand.

Even so, this is still a better option from my perspective than running the risk of safely leaving 800,000 THB to season in a Thai bank account for 3 months (I have had 2 separate accounts with separate banks here raided by fraudsters over the years).

[mikebell]

UK Gov remind me on a monthly basis why I live in Thailand - they're frozen my state pension for 8 years & now this inflation busting increase. They are a set of robbing bastards outdone only by the Thai police.

[OJAS]

UK Gov remind me on a monthly basis why I live in Thailand - they're frozen my state pension for 8 years & now this inflation busting increase. They are a set of robbing bastards outdone only by the Thai police.

And they now give us all a further reminder every 10 years, of course, through the dreaded "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience"!

[evadgib]

10 years is ample notice to plan to do it while in UK, EU(?), Phil's or Malaysia though eh?

[Merylhighground]

The prices of these 'services' they provide will rise and rise as the number of actual services they provide will decrease and decrease....

[BritTim]

The prices of these 'services' they provide will rise and rise as the number of actual services they provide will decrease and decrease....

This may well be the case. I suspect the kickbacks from those winning third party contracts to provide consular services do not make it into the consular budget. If they want to run the embassy at a profit, given the limited number of services provided, it certainly makes sense that these will need to be provided at high cost. Maybe, they could negotiate for a British interest section at the Swiss embassy and close down here altogether.

[Merylhighground]

Indeed Tim, there is a post concerning a prospective sale of the existing Embassy site in Wireless road which may be an indicator of a possible 'outsourcing' of consular services as they have with UK visas.

I don't have a problem with this as long if they maybe re-introduce certain services such as new UK passports being issued to UK nationals.

[OJAS]

Indeed Tim, there is a post concerning a prospective sale of the existing Embassy site in Wireless road which may be an indicator of a possible 'outsourcing' of consular services as they have with UK visas.

I don't have a problem with this as long if they maybe re-introduce certain services such as new UK passports being issued to UK nationals.

If you are referring to this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/21333-british-embassy-to-sell-land-in-bangkok/ post #6 states that only one-third of the Embassy grounds are planned for disposal. The 64,000 dollar question, of course, is whether the remaining 8 acres which are not being flogged off include existing consular buildings.

EDIT: have now seen this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908653-uk-govt-review-casts-doubt-on-future-of-british-embassy-in-bangkok/ which is presumably the one you are referring to (and which the Thaivisa search facility did not throw up for me).

[BritTim]

Indeed Tim, there is a post concerning a prospective sale of the existing Embassy site in Wireless road which may be an indicator of a possible 'outsourcing' of consular services as they have with UK visas.

I don't have a problem with this as long if they maybe re-introduce certain services such as new UK passports being issued to UK nationals.

If you are referring to this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/21333-british-embassy-to-sell-land-in-bangkok/ post #6 states that only one-third of the Embassy grounds are planned for disposal. The 64,000 dollar question, of course, is whether the remaining 8 acres which are not being flogged off include existing consular buildings.

No, the reference is to today's news story http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908653-uk-govt-review-casts-doubt-on-future-of-british-embassy-in-bangkok/ where they confirm the sale of the remaining part of the original site has not yet been finalized. The sale of the site opens up several opportunities to profit. Remaining consular services can be auctioned off to third parties, and there will be lucrative contracts for a new compound (still necessary in case government dignitaries want to visit, and for the ambassador with his retinue).

[OJAS]

Indeed Tim, there is a post concerning a prospective sale of the existing Embassy site in Wireless road which may be an indicator of a possible 'outsourcing' of consular services as they have with UK visas.

I don't have a problem with this as long if they maybe re-introduce certain services such as new UK passports being issued to UK nationals.

If you are referring to this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/21333-british-embassy-to-sell-land-in-bangkok/ post #6 states that only one-third of the Embassy grounds are planned for disposal. The 64,000 dollar question, of course, is whether the remaining 8 acres which are not being flogged off include existing consular buildings.

No, the reference is to today's news story http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908653-uk-govt-review-casts-doubt-on-future-of-british-embassy-in-bangkok/ where they confirm the sale of the remaining part of the original site has not yet been finalized. The sale of the site opens up several opportunities to profit. Remaining consular services can be auctioned off to third parties, and there will be lucrative contracts for a new compound (still necessary in case government dignitaries want to visit, and for the ambassador with his retinue).

Crossed with my edit.

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

[darrendsd]

Indeed Tim, there is a post concerning a prospective sale of the existing Embassy site in Wireless road which may be an indicator of a possible 'outsourcing' of consular services as they have with UK visas.

I don't have a problem with this as long if they maybe re-introduce certain services such as new UK passports being issued to UK nationals.

If you are referring to this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/21333-british-embassy-to-sell-land-in-bangkok/ post #6 states that only one-third of the Embassy grounds are planned for disposal. The 64,000 dollar question, of course, is whether the remaining 8 acres which are not being flogged off include existing consular buildings.

No, the reference is to today's news story http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908653-uk-govt-review-casts-doubt-on-future-of-british-embassy-in-bangkok/ where they confirm the sale of the remaining part of the original site has not yet been finalized. The sale of the site opens up several opportunities to profit. Remaining consular services can be auctioned off to third parties, and there will be lucrative contracts for a new compound (still necessary in case government dignitaries want to visit, and for the ambassador with his retinue).

Crossed with my edit.

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

[OJAS]

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

It used to be possible to send your passport renewal application by post to the (now former) Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong and have your replacement passport delivered to your front door by courier. However just over 2 years ago HMPO moved the goalposts by insisting that all applicants should henceforth make 2 trips from whatever far-flung corner of LOS they live in to the top floor of an office building with a ridiculous name in Bangkok, firstly to submit their application docs and subsequently to collect their replacement passport. At no time have HMPO attempted to provide any meaningful explanation of or justification for this procedural change which has major adverse implications for those of us who live some way away from Bangkok in particular.

Would I be correct in assuming that you live in Bangkok? If so, it clearly comes as no surprise to learn that you consider the "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience" to be so wonderful!

[Merylhighground]

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Neither, but I really don't like trusting important documents to the unpredictability of international mail and/or courier services. In the past it was much easier to do it on visits home or as in the past by applying to the Embassy by post then turning up in person and getting a nice shiny new passport a few days later.

I'm sure the 'Trendy experience' was fine for you (and for others) but I found it a hideous experience last time I went, kids running all over the place, fat blokes in 'wife beater' singlets applying for visas for their rented trophy girlfriends. Wouldn't be my choice and wouldn't be much fun having to spend a few hours there in the zoo-like atmosphere after a long trip from upcountry.

[billd766]

10 years is ample notice to plan to do it while in UK, EU(?), Phil's or Malaysia though eh?

I suppose it would be if I should desire to go to those places but since I retired in 2009 I have not yet left Thailand and have no desire to do so.

Oddly enough as a taxpayer (still) to the UK I figure that the FCO has a duty to ALL Brits abroad to provide the service that we are entitled to as a right and NOT a privilege.

Suck up the cost and DO what you are paid to do.

[billd766]

No, the reference is to today's news story http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908653-uk-govt-review-casts-doubt-on-future-of-british-embassy-in-bangkok/ where they confirm the sale of the remaining part of the original site has not yet been finalized. The sale of the site opens up several opportunities to profit. Remaining consular services can be auctioned off to third parties, and there will be lucrative contracts for a new compound (still necessary in case government dignitaries want to visit, and for the ambassador with his retinue).

Crossed with my edit.

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

Well for me it is an 800 km return trip with at least 1 overnight hotel stop in BKK, doubled as I have to go there twice. It means I will have to pay 1,000 baht for a hotel per night twice and travel 1,600 KM just to satisfy some lazy arsed beany in the UK who has no idea of real life.

For guys in CM, CR, Nong Khai the cost will be double mine.

[darrendsd]

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

It used to be possible to send your passport renewal application by post to the (now former) Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong and have your replacement passport delivered to your front door by courier. However just over 2 years ago HMPO moved the goalposts by insisting that all applicants should henceforth make 2 trips from whatever far-flung corner of LOS they live in to the top floor of an office building with a ridiculous name in Bangkok, firstly to submit their application docs and subsequently to collect their replacement passport. At no time have HMPO attempted to provide any meaningful explanation of or justification for this procedural change which has major adverse implications for those of us who live some way away from Bangkok in particular.

Would I be correct in assuming that you live in Bangkok? If so, it clearly comes as no surprise to learn that you consider the "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience" to be so wonderful!

No I live in Hua Hin so it was a 8 hour round trip both times, however going once every 10 years to renew my PP is not that much of a issue

For those who live in CM or far away there are companies that provide services to renew your PP for you, at a cost of course but probably works out cheaper than doing it yourself

[billd766]

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

It used to be possible to send your passport renewal application by post to the (now former) Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong and have your replacement passport delivered to your front door by courier. However just over 2 years ago HMPO moved the goalposts by insisting that all applicants should henceforth make 2 trips from whatever far-flung corner of LOS they live in to the top floor of an office building with a ridiculous name in Bangkok, firstly to submit their application docs and subsequently to collect their replacement passport. At no time have HMPO attempted to provide any meaningful explanation of or justification for this procedural change which has major adverse implications for those of us who live some way away from Bangkok in particular.

Would I be correct in assuming that you live in Bangkok? If so, it clearly comes as no surprise to learn that you consider the "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience" to be so wonderful!

No I live in Hua Hin so it was a 8 hour round trip both times, however going once every 10 years to renew my PP is not that much of a issue

For those who live in CM or far away there are companies that provide services to renew your PP for you, at a cost of course but probably works out cheaper than doing it yourself

Unfortunately that isn't the point.

The point is that the UK embassy, even with its restricted service (which is laid down by the FCO in the UK), is not simply for expats like us, it is for any and all UK citizens in Thailand, including businessmen and tourists. It is supposed to represent the Queen and country, to assist all UK citizens in Thailand, and there are an awful lot of them every year.

IMHO the problem is not with the embassy in Thailand but with the current government in the UK and particularly with George Osborne and David Cameron who are both so obsessed with cutting costs that they are doing immense damage to the UK both at home and abroad.

There are still embassies in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh and Brunei but would you want to go to one of those places just to get a document?

[OJAS]

It used to be possible to send your passport renewal application by post to the (now former) Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong and have your replacement passport delivered to your front door by courier. However just over 2 years ago HMPO moved the goalposts by insisting that all applicants should henceforth make 2 trips from whatever far-flung corner of LOS they live in to the top floor of an office building with a ridiculous name in Bangkok, firstly to submit their application docs and subsequently to collect their replacement passport. At no time have HMPO attempted to provide any meaningful explanation of or justification for this procedural change which has major adverse implications for those of us who live some way away from Bangkok in particular.

Would I be correct in assuming that you live in Bangkok? If so, it clearly comes as no surprise to learn that you consider the "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience" to be so wonderful!

No I live in Hua Hin so it was a 8 hour round trip both times, however going once every 10 years to renew my PP is not that much of a issue

For those who live in CM or far away there are companies that provide services to renew your PP for you, at a cost of course but probably works out cheaper than doing it yourself

Unfortunately that isn't the point.

The point is that the UK embassy, even with its restricted service (which is laid down by the FCO in the UK), is not simply for expats like us, it is for any and all UK citizens in Thailand, including businessmen and tourists. It is supposed to represent the Queen and country, to assist all UK citizens in Thailand, and there are an awful lot of them every year.

IMHO the problem is not with the embassy in Thailand but with the current government in the UK and particularly with George Osborne and David Cameron who are both so obsessed with cutting costs that they are doing immense damage to the UK both at home and abroad.

There are still embassies in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh and Brunei but would you want to go to one of those places just to get a document?

And it is not just the present UK government either that has seen us expats here as soft touches IMHO! However I do very much agree that it is unfair to scapegoat the Embassy for all the ills which successive governments back in Blighty have bestowed on us, as seems to be some sort of a general trend on here.

Reverting to the passport renewal issue, the basic question which still remains unanswered by HMPO after 2 years is "Why should we now be required to make 2 trips in person to Bangkok whereas that was not considered to be necessary previously?". Should the answer relate to security concerns, then the present UK government is just going IMHO to have to accept that some risk attaches to the passport renewal process as a result of their obsession with cost-cutting, instead of imposing unreasonable and onerous burdens on the applicants themselves.

[blackcab]

You sound so back in the day, repeatedly waffling on about your inability to accept a situation that is not going to change.

It is entertaining reading your posts though. I imagine Victor Meldrew speaking the words you write.

[OJAS]

You sound so back in the day, repeatedly waffling on about your inability to accept a situation that is not going to change.

It is entertaining reading your posts though. I imagine Victor Meldrew speaking the words you write.

So precisely on what grounds are you singling me out for specific criticism from all the other moaners on here, matey?

You sound like the sort of person who unhesitatingly hoists the white flag of surrender whenever confronted with one of life's little pitfalls!

[blackcab]

You sound so back in the day, repeatedly waffling on about your inability to accept a situation that is not going to change.

It is entertaining reading your posts though. I imagine Victor Meldrew speaking the words you write.

So precisely on what grounds are you singling me out for specific criticism from all the other moaners on here, matey?

You sound like the sort of person who unhesitatingly hoists the white flag of surrender whenever confronted with one of life's little pitfalls!

That would be because of, "repeatedly waffling on about your inability to accept a situation that is not going to change."

When I come across one of life's little pitfalls that isn't going to change, I move on. Unlike yourself, who bores people by going on and on about some problem that you experienced years ago.

Keep it up though, because I get to say, " I don't believe it".

[evadgib]

The intention of the OP was to enlighten everyone of fee changes; It should perhaps have been pinned. Having seen how far the thread deviated I'm unlikely to bother doing so again.

Some of you frankly deserve whatever you get.

[Ricardo]

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

Well for me it is an 800 km return trip with at least 1 overnight hotel stop in BKK, doubled as I have to go there twice. It means I will have to pay 1,000 baht for a hotel per night twice and travel 1,600 KM just to satisfy some lazy arsed beany in the UK who has no idea of real life.

For guys in CM, CR, Nong Khai the cost will be double mine.

I recently used an agent down in Pattaya, to obtain a new UK-passport for my 14-year-old son, it cost me a B5,000-fee but saved two trips from Chiang Mai down to Bangkok, and a whole load of hassle. Well worth the money IMO !

I thought the former service by DHL to Hong Kong was quite good, and wish they had replaced that with a similar courier-option to/from the UK, rather than withdrawing it completely ! But perhaps that would have been too simple ?

I sometimes wonder whether we're being discretely punished, for the crime of having chosen to live permanently outside the UK, am I too cynical ?

[Jip99]

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

It used to be possible to send your passport renewal application by post to the (now former) Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong and have your replacement passport delivered to your front door by courier. However just over 2 years ago HMPO moved the goalposts by insisting that all applicants should henceforth make 2 trips from whatever far-flung corner of LOS they live in to the top floor of an office building with a ridiculous name in Bangkok, firstly to submit their application docs and subsequently to collect their replacement passport. At no time have HMPO attempted to provide any meaningful explanation of or justification for this procedural change which has major adverse implications for those of us who live some way away from Bangkok in particular.

Would I be correct in assuming that you live in Bangkok? If so, it clearly comes as no surprise to learn that you consider the "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience" to be so wonderful!

I live in Buriram and also find the service to be excellent.

It is not necessary to make two visits.

[colinneil]

All the members who moan about UK passport services now, please stop and think.

Think about folk like me !!Paraplegic !! how the hell i am expected to get there?

[johnatong]

So it looks like we may have to join the forever-lengthening queues for replacement passports and UK visas on the top floor of With-It Tower for our income confirmation letters as well?

You must be doing something wrong when you go to The Trendy Building or you are just a moaner

Applied to renew my Passport there, the whole process took less than 10 minutes, received the Passport back in 14 days, went today to pick it up, whole process took 5 minutes

Excellent, fast and professional service all round at this place

It used to be possible to send your passport renewal application by post to the (now former) Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong and have your replacement passport delivered to your front door by courier. However just over 2 years ago HMPO moved the goalposts by insisting that all applicants should henceforth make 2 trips from whatever far-flung corner of LOS they live in to the top floor of an office building with a ridiculous name in Bangkok, firstly to submit their application docs and subsequently to collect their replacement passport. At no time have HMPO attempted to provide any meaningful explanation of or justification for this procedural change which has major adverse implications for those of us who live some way away from Bangkok in particular.

Would I be correct in assuming that you live in Bangkok? If so, it clearly comes as no surprise to learn that you consider the "With-It Tower Passport Renewal Experience" to be so wonderful!

I live in Buriram and also find the service to be excellent.

It is not necessary to make two visits.

If you are talking about renewing a UK passport how did you obtain the new passport without making a second visit to Trendy ?

[evadgib]

All the members who moan about UK passport services now, please stop and think.

Think about folk like me !!Paraplegic !! how the hell i am expected to get there?

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007550896332&fref=ts

HTH

(& YES he's been thoroughly checked out)

[johnatong]

All the members who moan about UK passport services now, please stop and think.

Think about folk like me !!Paraplegic !! how the hell i am expected to get there?

I know a Swedish Paraplegic to travels from Sweden to Thailand every year for a holiday.

How the hell does he do that ?

[jacksam]

Ship?