New Australian consulate good or bad

[madmax2]

I recently enquired about a local service for obtaining a visa for my wife, when and if it would be available.

Could not get a yes or no answer from the person i talked to on the phone and was told to contact the Australian embassy in Bangkok, he really seemed bored and uninterested in my query and just wanted me to hang up the phone 

I phone the embassy in Bangkok and after being given the run around by computer generated voices gave up on them, like the banks they seem to try and make it impossible to talk to a real person 

 

Since they have a Australian government employee as a consul all their charges have increased, was told they now charge commercial rates and their service has been a lot worse in my opinion

I and a lot of other aussie expats living here  are still Australian citizens and tax payers, why should we pay commercial rates for a service already paid for with are taxes.

 

Personally i think the honorary (unpaid) conul provided a lot better service with fewer staff, what is your opinion as a Aussie of past and present consulate service

 

In my opinion if we have a full time salaried consult in Phuket we should be able to get a visa for our partners here, and not have to travel to Chang Mai or bangkok for this service      

[Old Croc]

The rise in charges for Embassy/Consulate services started on 1 Jan 17.  These charges are set by DFaT and are part of the Government budget. They apply to all overseas offices. They are not set by individual embassies or consulates. 

I agree this huge rise in costs was way above reasonable, and they are now ludicrously high.  I blame the conservative government for ripping off easy targets once again.

The new Consulate General has made it very clear on their website and elsewhere that they do not issue visas. Reference to the Bangkok Embassy is normal practice. Also, I very much doubt the Honorary Consul in CM issues visas.

Again, I agree that clients get the run-around trying to talk to an actual person at the embassy. Staff cuts and outsourcing saves a few dollars, but reduces services greatly.

 

I disagree with your assessment of the former honorary consul in Phuket. On several occasions I tried to contact this Canadian practising lawyer without success. One time I could hear her in the background telling the receptionist, "ask him what he wants" and "tell him to send an email". My query could have been answered very simply.

 

The main advantage for expats here is that the new CG can process passport applications and renewals, and do notarial services for income or marriage purposes.  

[madmax2]

My new passport was excepted and processed by the honorary consul when she was in charge

My application was first looked at by a Thai lady who probably works for the Thai business that handles visa applications for foreigners as she had the same attitude as the person who handled my wife's last visa application in Bangkok about 6 years ago

This person checked my application for a new visa and said it was OK but the photo i supplied was to dark and handed everything back to me

The Honorary consul them checked everything for me, accepted the photo ( which was taken by immigration and use for my visa extension) as i explained this to both ladies twice and processed the passport application

Never had a problem with the honorary consul who wa not paid for doing her job and was excellent at doing it 

 

there must be as many if not more Aussie citizens living in Phuket than Chang Mai, it would be nice to have the same visa service available here as there, at least i think so anyway

 

Its the conservative Governments fault, baloney it does not matter who is in power, liberal or labor  all politicians do the same sort of thing, personally i do not care who is in power they all break their promises to the voters to get their votes and control of government anyway

 

The notarial service cost me as much for 3 signatures and 3 official stamps as sending the same documents to Bangkok thru a local company to be officially translated by another company and returned to Phuket, these are private businesses who get no tax payers money, the new consulate is paid for by Aussie tax payers, so all fees and charges collected are a bonus  

[Old Croc]

Not doubting your word, but I am very surprised the previous honorary consul helped with your passport renewal. This is not a normal function of honorary consuls. See the CM HC website for services they provide:

https://tranquilinthailand.com/australian-consulate-chiang-mai/consulate-functions/

As you can see they do NOT handle passport applications nor visas there.

 

Notarial services -  if you know of a local service that can do the job cheaper, without sending it to the Bangkok Embassy, and is acceptable to Immigration, I would like to hear of it. As far as I am aware it has to be notarised by the Embassy or a CG.

Perhaps they provided a service to take it to the Embassy on your behalf. It would have been much cheaper last year before the huge fee rise.

 

Governments expect departments to be cost effective. This means their budgets are kept low to force them to charge the public for their services if possible. This is why fees rise, usually yearly. All costs to run departments don't just come out of general revenue.

[madmax2]

38 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Not doubting your word, but I am very surprised the previous honorary consul helped with your passport renewal. This is not a normal function of honorary consuls. See the CM HC website for services they provide:

https://tranquilinthailand.com/australian-consulate-chiang-mai/consulate-functions/

As you can see they do NOT handle passport applications nor visas there.

 

Notarial services -  if you know of a local service that can do the job cheaper, without sending it to the Bangkok Embassy, and is acceptable to Immigration, I would like to hear of it. As far as I am aware it has to be notarised by the Embassy or a CG.

Perhaps they provided a service to take it to the Embassy on your behalf. It would have been much cheaper last year before the huge fee rise.

 

Governments expect departments to be cost effective. This means their budgets are kept low to force them to charge the public for their services if possible. This is why fees rise, usually yearly. All costs to run departments don't just come out of general revenue.

It was a outreach program run by the Australian embassy, but it definitely was the lady honorary consul who assisted me with my passport renewal, believe it or not who cares

Best if you want any assistance to see the person yourself not use a phone or internet which most people do now even with business dealings

 

The documents were notarized at the consulate while i was there, nothing was sent to Bangkok

Plenty of staff sitting around doing nothing now, 7K last August has it gone up in price again??  

[Old Croc]

10 hours ago, madmax2 said:

It was a outreach program run by the Australian embassy, but it definitely was the lady honorary consul who assisted me with my passport renewal, believe it or not who cares

Best if you want any assistance to see the person yourself not use a phone or internet which most people do now even with business dealings

 

The documents were notarized at the consulate while i was there, nothing was sent to Bangkok

Plenty of staff sitting around doing nothing now, 7K last August has it gone up in price again??  

Yes, I worked out later that your visit must have been when they had an outreach visit. The Hon Cons would have been assisting the Embassy staff. They were based in her office.

 

The new fees can be found here: http://dfat.gov.au/news/media-releases/Documents/notarial-service-fees-2017.pdf

It now costs $AUD 70 to get an income stat dec certified.

[madmax2]

6 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Yes, I worked out later that your visit must have been when they had an outreach visit. The Hon Cons would have been assisting the Embassy staff. They were based in her office.

 

The new fees can be found here: http://dfat.gov.au/news/media-releases/Documents/notarial-service-fees-2017.pdf

It now costs $AUD 70 to get an income stat dec certified.

As i said over the top prices$70/1750 baht to get a document certified by the Australian consulate who employ Thai staff and pay Thai wages to them

1900 baht to get a 12 month visa extension at thai immigration dept, i know which i consider is value for money paid

 

The honorary consul was assisting a Thai lady whom may not have been embassy staff or may have been working for the Thai company that handles visa applications in Bangkok which i think is more likely, she looked like the same lady and had the same attitude as the lady we dealt with previously for a visa for my wife in Bangkok, does not seem to like foreigners/Thai couples in my opinion

The honorary consul was doing her job for her and showing her how it should be done properly in my opinion

 

Have you ever been to the Australian consulate in person, it does not sound like you have

[KarenBravo]

I met her not long after she became the Australian consul.

Sitting in her lawyers reception, waiting to have a document notarized, when she came in and chatted with me for about fifteen minutes.

I congratulated her and brought up the subject of her being a Canadian and asked what the connection was to Australia.

Apparently, she spent time there to pass her Australian Bar exam.............to add to her Canadian Bar exam.

After Whatsisface left, Australia was keen to fill the slot temporarily until a suitable candidate could be vetted.

She volunteered as a temporary  Consul  and was accepted.

I found her to be delightful to chat to, though I'm not an Aussie, so, never needed her consular services.

[Rimmer]

Multiple posts attacking other members have been removed, also replies to those posts, I am now going back through them to see who is going to get a holiday out of this baiting and bickering fest.

[madmax2]

In Chang Mai they have a honorary (unpaid) consul and also a australian government sponsored local visa service so you can apply for your partners visa in Chang Mai

 

In Phuket we qualify for a paid career consul and paid consular staff, but if we want to apply for a tourist visa for our wife/partner we have to go to Bangkok to apply for one

My question is, if we qualify for a full consular service here with paid staff why doesn't the Australian embassy sponsor a visa service here like they do in Chang Mai

 

Be nice to get a answer from someone at the Australian embassy to this question  

[stevenl]

6 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

In Chang Mai they have a honorary (unpaid) consul and also a australian government sponsored local visa service so you can apply for your partners visa in Chang Mai

 

In Phuket we qualify for a paid career consul and paid consular staff, but if we want to apply for a tourist visa for our wife/partner we have to go to Bangkok to apply for one

My question is, if we qualify for a full consular service here with paid staff why doesn't the Australian embassy sponsor a visa service here like they do in Chang Mai

 

Be nice to get a answer from someone at the Australian embassy to this question  

If you want an answer from the Australian embassy, did you ask them your question?

[pagallim]

17 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

In Chang Mai they have a honorary (unpaid) consul and also a australian government sponsored local visa service so you can apply for your partners visa in Chang Mai

 

In Phuket we qualify for a paid career consul and paid consular staff, but if we want to apply for a tourist visa for our wife/partner we have to go to Bangkok to apply for one

My question is, if we qualify for a full consular service here with paid staff why doesn't the Australian embassy sponsor a visa service here like they do in Chang Mai

 

Be nice to get a answer from someone at the Australian embassy to this question  

Australia, along with other countries (the UK included) have outsourced their respective visa services to VFS, a specialist visa company.   VFS have 2 centres in Thailand, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.   I doubt that VFS believe that there are sufficient potential applicants in Phuket and southern Thailand to warrant opening an office here as their remuneration is more than likely made up of two parts, a fixed fee, and a variable fee based on numbers of transactions.

[madmax2]

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

If you want an answer from the Australian embassy, did you ask them your question?

Read my first post, the answer to your question is in it

[pagallim]

Pretty sure you'll get all the information you need here:

 

http://www.vfsglobal.com/Australia/Thailand/

[madmax2]

2 hours ago, pagallim said:

Australia, along with other countries (the UK included) have outsourced their respective visa services to VFS, a specialist visa company.   VFS have 2 centres in Thailand, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.   I doubt that VFS believe that there are sufficient potential applicants in Phuket and southern Thailand to warrant opening an office here as their remuneration is more than likely made up of two parts, a fixed fee, and a variable fee based on numbers of transactions.

Phuket has a full government paid for consulate, Chang Mai does not

If it warrants opening a australian staffed and financed consulate here but not in Chang Mai, that makes me think their are enough aussies living in Phuket and southern Thailand for VFS to open a office here

[pagallim]

24 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

Phuket has a full government paid for consulate, Chang Mai does not

If it warrants opening a australian staffed and financed consulate here but not in Chang Mai, that makes me think their are enough aussies living in Phuket and southern Thailand for VFS to open a office here

It is the same VFS office in BKK that deals with Aussies, Brits, Swedes, Canadians etc etc (The Trendy Building, Sukhumvit Soi 13).   I would imagine Phuket gaining a full time Consul is more to do with the number of Australian tourists in Phuket, maybe not so many in Chiang Mai.

 

 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, madmax2 said:

Read my first post, the answer to your question is in it

No matter the communication problems, want an answer from the embassy you'll have to ask the embassy.

 

Now you can disagree with everybody on here, but that really won't get you any further.

[pagallim]

17 minutes ago, madmax2 said:

 

Having your own opinion is not a crime, The royal Thai police say a IDP is required to drive or ride in Thailand, you continually post on this forum its not required, i agree with the police not you

 

To drive or lease a car in Thailand as a tourist or visitor it is necessary to have either a Thai driving licence or a valid foreign driving licence with a photograph. The foreign licence must either be in English, or be accompanied by an official translation into English or Thai. The licence needs to have been issued by a country that has a treaty with the Thai government allowing the mutual acceptance of driving licences.  Most countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA have this agreement with Thailand under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.  

 

An International Driver's License/Permit (IDL/IDP) is also valid in Thailand, and available from a government department or authorised auto club at a small expense. A foreign driving licence valid under the 1949 or 1968 Conventions qualifies the licence holder to apply for the IDL/IDP, and its holders may find that it is more often recognised and accepted by police and civil service officials. 

 

If the driver is not a tourist or visitor but is a resident with a non-immigrant visa, then it is necessary to have a Thai driver's licence. However, those with a foreign licence as described above or an International Drivers Licence are excused from doing the practical driving test when applying for a Thai driving license.

[madmax2]

1 hour ago, pagallim said:

To drive or lease a car in Thailand as a tourist or visitor it is necessary to have either a Thai driving licence or a valid foreign driving licence with a photograph. The foreign licence must either be in English, or be accompanied by an official translation into English or Thai. The licence needs to have been issued by a country that has a treaty with the Thai government allowing the mutual acceptance of driving licences.  Most countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA have this agreement with Thailand under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.  

 

An International Driver's License/Permit (IDL/IDP) is also valid in Thailand, and available from a government department or authorised auto club at a small expense. A foreign driving licence valid under the 1949 or 1968 Conventions qualifies the licence holder to apply for the IDL/IDP, and its holders may find that it is more often recognised and accepted by police and civil service officials. 

 

If the driver is not a tourist or visitor but is a resident with a non-immigrant visa, then it is necessary to have a Thai driver's licence. However, those with a foreign licence as described above or an International Drivers Licence are excused from doing the practical driving test when applying for a Thai driving license.

I suggest you make a visit to a royal Thai Tourists police office and pick up a booklet printed in english for tourists information and see what it says about IDPs if they still provide them

Only last year the most senior police officer on Phuket in a article in the PG newspaper stated a IDP was required to drive or ride legally on the road in Phuket

 

At the same time SP&R was telling everyone on this forum it was not required

This is the same person who does not seem to know that operating agencies like a dive agency that takes bookings for other peoples dive boat packages, insurance agencies and picking up people from the airport ( a transport service) are all jobs reserved for Thai nationals/citizens

 

They may have changed the requirements to drive here recently and you may be right now, personally it does not effect me but when i did drive originally here on my Aussie license i also had a current valid IDP with me, cost 20 AUD at the time and was well worth the money to know i was driving legally in Thailand, as stated in the booklet provided to you when you purchased a IDP with a list of countries that do and do not require to to have a IDP in Thailand it was required at that time

 

Of topic i know but still useful information to people who read this forum which can get rather boring at times with the trolls trying to provoke people    

[theoldgit]

Off topic post removed.

[madmax2]

Are they supply of a set of your fingerprints a requirement to get a tourist visa to the UK

[Haso]

I agree with Karon bravo's comments 100 per cent