Video Brian Davidson, British Ambassador talking about top 3 UK priorities in Thailand this year

[Gandtee]

I got married in the Embassy and had no problems whatsoever. But that was thirty years ago.

[KBsinter]

6 minutes ago, Godang said:

Maybe the suspicion accent comes through not talking out his backside but his boyfriend up his backside.

not, they are married............lol

[VocalNeal]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Sad fact is this clown is supposed to be representing British interests here.

Well start representing the interests of the British people living here, or is that to much to ask?

But the second part is not in his remit? Embassy here for the first part. To represent UK between governments and to promote trade and good relations.  

 

They may offer advice to UK nationals but they are not here to "look after you".  What is it that anyone wants them to do for you?  Bail you out after you have been caught with drugs up your bum?  You left the nanny state and now reside in the real world?

 

If you loose passport and money they may forward you a loan and issue temporary travel documents to get home.

 

If there are 50,000 Brits living here how many pay taxes to support the local embassy? 

[soalbundy]

2 hours ago, gandalf12 said:

This guys mother should never have let him out on his own, he is an idiot

He's not an idiot, we are, he is on a nice little earner and can drink as much gin tonics as he can puke and all he has to do is blah blah blah blah. He is good at it to, he said nothing of any substance but it sounded to the uninitiated rather good, he is obviously a professional civil servant with a gold plated pension waiting for him after years of blah blah blah.

[sambum]

10 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

But the second part is not in his remit? Embassy here for the first part. To represent UK between governments and to promote trade and good relations.  

 

They may offer advice to UK nationals but they are not here to "look after you".  What is it that anyone wants them to do for you?  Bail you out after you have been caught with drugs up your bum?  You left the nanny state and now reside in the real world?

 

If you loose passport and money they may forward you a loan and issue temporary travel documents to get home.

 

If there are 50,000 Brits living here how many pay taxes to support the local embassy? 

To be honest, that is the problem! I have paid taxes to the British Government all my life, and in my opinion, the operating costs of the British Embassy should be paid for out of those taxes. I am now retired, and do my fair share of complaining about "frozen pensions" etc, but that is not the Embassy's fault - it is the fault of the British Government.

[colinneil]

25 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

But the second part is not in his remit? Embassy here for the first part. To represent UK between governments and to promote trade and good relations.  

 

They may offer advice to UK nationals but they are not here to "look after you".  What is it that anyone wants them to do for you?  Bail you out after you have been caught with drugs up your bum?  You left the nanny state and now reside in the real world?

 

If you loose passport and money they may forward you a loan and issue temporary travel documents to get home.

 

If there are 50,000 Brits living here how many pay taxes to support the local embassy? 

I think you have problems reading, i posted my wife asked them for help/advice when i was in a coma.

Nobody asked them to look after ,me.

My wife was in a quandary as what to do, ok had it been up to me i would never have contacted them.

 

Also as a UK tax payer for over 40 years, yes i did pay tax to support the useless buggers at the embassy.

Edited June 22, 2017 by colinneil

[overherebc]

2 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Frozen pension? You and all the Brits here. Meanwhile those back in UK who paid nothing get full benefits. Proud to be British? Hardly 

Don't start me on that one or I'll get a posting holiday.

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, sambum said:

To be honest, that is the problem! I have paid taxes to the British Government all my life, and in my opinion, the operating costs of the British Embassy should be paid for out of those taxes. I am now retired, and do my fair share of complaining about "frozen pensions" etc, but that is not the Embassy's fault - it is the fault of the British Government.

and who votes the government in? The British public are apathetic about politics, if they get angry they write to the Times, in many European countries,especially France, they take to the streets and make their anger known. 'Take our country back', that phrase always makes me laugh as if Joe Bloggs has any say at all apart from voting once every 4 years, if he can drag himself from the pub, we are putty in their hands. Joe Bloggs is enjoying himself with 'East Enders' 'The Great British Bake Off' and 'Football' he deserves all he gets. 

[wakeupplease]

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Sorry Sir, but you missed the three most important ones.......

1 - Find the finest golf course closest to the residence

2 - Make sure the aforementioned club accepts corporate business rates so the taxpayer can pay ( entertainment expenses you know....what..)

3 - Find a cheap and reliable Gin and Tonic supplier.

Top 5 should be

1, Tell the Brits the truth you are only there to look after the PC and Trade not to help those who need help.

2, Spend a little less time in the restaurant across the road and more time in the embassy doing some work.

3, Cut the holiday time as when you phone they are often not in today.

4, Become an embassy like the German, Swiss have.

5 Don't be scared of a bunch of Thugs who run the place.

[ratcatcher]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Your're right - now where is that accent from?

Born in Northern Ireland, a Trinity College, Cambridge  man and happily married to his Chinese American wife  partner.. London Irish?

[The Dark Lord]

1 hour ago, VocalNeal said:

But the second part is not in his remit? Embassy here for the first part. To represent UK between governments and to promote trade and good relations.  

 

They may offer advice to UK nationals but they are not here to "look after you".  What is it that anyone wants them to do for you?  Bail you out after you have been caught with drugs up your bum?  You left the nanny state and now reside in the real world?

 

If you loose passport and money they may forward you a loan and issue temporary travel documents to get home.

 

If there are 50,000 Brits living here how many pay taxes to support the local embassy? 

You may find that a portion of those who rely on money they make in the uk on which they pay uk tax are somewhat agitated about the complete lack of concern their paid for civil servant ( now there's an oxymoron) displays. 

 

Its called looking a gift horse in the mouth. 

 

I am so so agitated I am now removing my investments out of the uk even though the pound has tanked. If they are unwilling to give back to those that have invested in them then they are no more than common thieves. 

 

 

Oh and whilst acknowledging that this this could be classed as homophobic, I have never stuck anything up my bum despite a public school education, years in the navy and years in the Middle East. Can our representative say the same?

 

Edited June 22, 2017 by The Dark Lord
Homophobic non rant

[sambum]

39 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

and who votes the government in? The British public are apathetic about politics, if they get angry they write to the Times, in many European countries,especially France, they take to the streets and make their anger known. 'Take our country back', that phrase always makes me laugh as if Joe Bloggs has any say at all apart from voting once every 4 years, if he can drag himself from the pub, we are putty in their hands. Joe Bloggs is enjoying himself with 'East Enders' 'The Great British Bake Off' and 'Football' he deserves all he gets. 

Personally, I can't stand all 3 of your examples, except the occasional footy match!

"The British public are apathetic about politics"? Ahem the 2017 General Election figures:-

 

"General election sees highest turnout in 25 years, as nearly 70% of Britons vote"

 

We don't take to the streets to make our anger known, because we believe in law and order and democracy, and  the way to change things if you are not happy is not by "taking to the streets" as you put it, but via the Ballot Box.

 

However, the phrase "take our country back" does not make me laugh, as I believe Enoch Powell got it right many, many years ago, and successive Governments are seemingly more content in appearing to be "non - racist" and  "not wanting to offend" certain sections of the community than actually addressing the problem head on and doing something about it!

 

So I agree with your post in part, but not with your proposed solution, and I think that "Joe Bloggs" has shown through WW1 and WW2 that we are not putty in anybody's hands!

[MW72]

4 hours ago, The Dark Lord said:

Utter hogwash, about as convincing as one of the old party political broadcasts we used to see on tv but at least they were amusing.

 

what planet is this halfwit with a very suspicious accent from? 

 

After parting with obscene scene amounts of money in taxes for a serious number of years I ( stupidly) thought I would benefit in my autumnal years. How stupid can one be, I am refused entry into my own embassy grounds by a flicking foreigner who barely speaks intelligible English , I will be in receipt of a reduced pension ( it matters not how much I paid in but for how long - oh that makes sense!) which will remain at the same level right up until I croak. Yet if I had been a lazy unemployed git I would get a full pension. Tough to relate to that. 

 

Bah ah I give up

I don't want to make you feel even more aggrieved but, the Embassy staff are still on final salary pensions. When they get to their last year they get to go to a war zone post like Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia where their salary shoots up for that last year and they rake in even more in a pension!

 

It is obscene!

[The Dark Lord]

53 minutes ago, MW72 said:

I don't want to make you feel even more aggrieved but, the Embassy staff are still on final salary pensions. When they get to their last year they get to go to a war zone post like Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia where their salary shoots up for that last year and they rake in even more in a pension!

 

It is obscene!

I can only but agree, it makes me want to spit but I am too polite to do so. Perhaps we should seriously start collecting ideas  how we can try to change our pension woes. 

 

Any ideas anyone?

[JAG]

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

Born in Northern Ireland, a Trinity College, Cambridge  man and happily married to his Chinese American wife  partner.. London Irish?

London Irish?

 

A good Rugby Club.

A good Territorial Army Infantry Battalion, (now gone) with a fine record in both world wars (Private William Macfadzean VC in World War 1) during which The London Irish raised 18 Battalions!

 

I somehow doubt His Excellencys interests extend to either....

[sambum]

10 minutes ago, The Dark Lord said:

I can only but agree, it makes me want to spit but I am too polite to do so. Perhaps we should seriously start collecting ideas  how we can try to change our pension woes. 

 

Any ideas anyone?

Retire to the Philippines where your pension would not be frozen? 

(That makes me want to spit as well!)

Edited June 22, 2017 by sambum

[the guest]

I find it quite amusing .... when British 'expats' question as to why Thailand is so strict on foreigners, just look at the state of Britain is the answer why !

[Jeremy50]

5 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Rather different to Sir Anthony's opinion the Ambassador 50 years ago

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/6365249/Secret-letters-disclose-true-views-of-British-ambassadors.html

 

Sir Anthony Rumbold, who served in Bangkok for two years until 1967, wrote in his missive that Thailand had "no literature, no painting" and "hideous" interior decoration.

“Nobody can deny that gambling and golf are the chief pleasures of the rich, and that licentiousness is the main pleasure of them all,” 

Indeed. Where is their Shakespeare, their Turner, Their Inigo Jones or Christopher Wren, Their Shelley, Joyce, Dickens, Moore, Bacon etc etc ?.  Mind you, this could be asked of most countries in the tropics, but of almost none in temperate zones, well.....except Canada, New Zealand.

[Cadbury]

Another diplomatic tosser in it for the benefits of trough snorting and caring little about the citizens of his own country. They are all are the same basically but some are better at milking the system than others.

[hobobo]

6 hours ago, The Dark Lord said:

Utter hogwash, about as convincing as one of the old party political broadcasts we used to see on tv but at least they were amusing.

 

what planet is this halfwit with a very suspicious accent from? 

 

After parting with obscene scene amounts of money in taxes for a serious number of years I ( stupidly) thought I would benefit in my autumnal years. How stupid can one be, I am refused entry into my own embassy grounds by a flicking foreigner who barely speaks intelligible English , I will be in receipt of a reduced pension ( it matters not how much I paid in but for how long - oh that makes sense!) which will remain at the same level right up until I croak. Yet if I had been a lazy unemployed git I would get a full pension. Tough to relate to that. 

 

Bah ah I give up

Only one solution for you then! Go back and your pension will increase annually!

[wakeupplease]

3 minutes ago, hobobo said:

Only one solution for you then! Go back and your pension will increase annually!

Oh Mr Dark Lord do you now get the feeling you ain't wanted here?

[wakeupplease]

1 hour ago, The Dark Lord said:

I can only but agree, it makes me want to spit but I am too polite to do so. Perhaps we should seriously start collecting ideas  how we can try to change our pension woes. 

 

Any ideas anyone?

Set up a petition and get all the Brits to sign it in all countries, you only need 100.000 and it has to be debated in Parliament. But But do not take no for an answer as change only comes when you keep on shoving it down their throats.

You have a chance in the UK but not here but again keep trying then one day maybe no 90 days reporting again push the British Government to make the locals give fair treatment or stop them going to the UK until they do become less racial.

[sambum]

1 hour ago, the guest said:

I find it quite amusing .... when British 'expats' question as to why Thailand is so strict on foreigners, just look at the state of Britain is the answer why !

"the state of Britain"? Would you care to be more specific?

[chickenslegs]

3 hours ago, The Dark Lord said:

...

Oh and whilst acknowledging that this this could be classed as homophobic, I have never stuck anything up my bum despite a public school education, years in the navy and years in the Middle East. Can our representative say the same?

 

Oh grow up man. A bloke's sexual preferences do not affect his professional competency.

 

Are the heterosexual civil servants doing a better job?

[evadgib]

5 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

If there are 50,000 Brits living here how many pay taxes to support the local embassy? 

Everyone who purchases a pension letter etc and everyone that purchased a new passport prior to the Home Office/HMPO assuming control of overseas passports from 2010-ish.

 

HTH

[evadgib]

British Ambassador's speech at The Queen's Birthday Party 2017 in Thailand

[OJAS]

6 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

If there are 50,000 Brits living here how many pay taxes to support the local embassy? 

 

35 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Everyone who purchases a pension letter etc and everyone that purchased a new passport prior to the Home Office/HMPO assuming control of overseas passports from 2010-ish.

 

HTH

 

And everyone who pays taxes is, of course, also now supporting the shambolic Home Office/HMPO passport renewal service here in Thailand - which, since 2014, has necessitated a couple of journeys in person to the top floor of an office building with an exceedingly silly name somewhere in deepest darkest Bangkok, thus adding to the costs of passport renewal which are, of course, greater the further away a particular applicant lives from Bangkok - not to mention the resultant inconvenience and physical effort involved in making these journeys unless an applicant is fortunate enough (which I am not) to have someone else make these arduous journeys on their behalf.

Edited June 22, 2017 by OJAS

[ksamuiguy]

Glad to see we are not the only one in the pot.

[superal]

15 hours ago, colinneil said:

You and me both mate, just imagine what help i would be entitled to being a paraplegic.

Sad to say but as you know you could really milk the system , they are saving thousands by you being here , maybe time for a UK holiday ?  . I believe the only UK mp backing the expats to some extent is Jeremy Corbyn . I wish you well and enjoy your posts .

[longgone]

I say his farther should be chastised for not wearing a condom

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