Currupt BKK Embassy
I’ve signed onto this forum in the hope of getting some accounts of the rubbish British embassy in Bangkok.
To put it bluntly the staff have set up a system to avoid contact with any British nationals who might cause them work.
They are sitting out in the sun on good wages in a cheap country, and not content with that, they closing for all British public holidays, all Thai holidays, and unbelievably inventing all sorts of training days to shut out any Brit who wants them to do what they are paid for.
They even have tennis courts for their use in the embassy grounds!
Well I have changed a few things. Their links to emails did not work, I believe intentionally, and now they put the email addresses on their website in plain text after my emails to the foreign office told them the links were not working.
However there is still only one person answering out of hour’s telephone calls to the embassy. I ask you, one person answering the telephone when last year there was 700.000 British visitors to Thailand.
What’s worse I do not believe that one person is even answering the telephone, but forcing callers to leave messages on the recorded service.
In short they are a bunch of skivers and I want them out.
I have my MP writing to them at the moment and making some head way, but I need some more accounts.
So, if anyone have any horror stories about dealing with staff at this embassy let’s hear it.
From Frank.
This is what started it all back in April.
A copy of a complaint sent to the embassy.
Sir or madam
A few months ago a colleague and I had great difficulty contacting the embassy in regards to a British national dying in Thailand.
The links to the emails addresses did not work, complaints to the complaints email address was not answered, and these matters are now being investigated and are the subject of a complaint to the foreign office.
In addition telephone calls to Bangkok embassy were not answered and I have recently discovered why.
It seems that only one duty officer was available to receive calls out of hours this last week end.
I consider this unacceptable when there are thousands of British expats and tourists in Thailand at any one time who may require assistance from the British embassy.
I am informed that calls could be answered by a recorded message.
To be answered by a recorded message when one is calling the Bangkok embassy in an emergency, and then have to telephone another number is simply a disgrace. When this other number is not answered this is adding insult to injury.
My colleague when attempting to contact the embassy did not hear any recorded message
There should be sufficient operators to answer all calls out of hours to the Bangkok Embassy. There is not because staff at the embassy dislike working outside of office hours and have arranged matters to make having contact with the embassy difficult.
This is simply to discourage a British national from obtaining his right to assistance from the Bangkok Embassy, and thereby ensuring embassy staff have less work to do; in other words Bangkok Embassy staff are corruptly shirking work.
I note that the number of staff at the embassy is in three figures, and judge that you have more than sufficient staff.
I complain that staff answering out of office hours telephone calls are deliberately limited to save embassy staff work in accordance with my reasons listed above.
Last edited by natalie8; 1st November 2008 at 12:00.
Yes Frank , When I contacted them on one ocassion there was atotal lack of interest. I guess a culture of laziness has built up. It aint acceptable and FCO in UK need to be informed by everyone who has had the same problems.
I guess you don't want to hear this but my own personal dealings with the embassy and visa service has been nothing but efficient. They have dealt with inquiries effectively and in a timely manner. I also subscribe to the FCO update of happenings in Thailand which keeps me informed. I'm sorry to hear about your frustrations however and hope you get some joy.
Dude, where can I get one of those flying pans?
Follow the three R’s: Respect for self Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.
--Erma Bombek
Sweetness and light at the Canadian embassy. You never get to talk to an actual Canadian, but perhaps that's the benefit.
The American Embassy is the same. They never answer the phone. You go and see the Yank national who work there doing their minimum output routine, the Thais work like your grandmother on a double-dose of Quailudes. They take non-scheduled days off.
^^They weren't sweetness and light to me. Hmph.
The NZ embassy is very professional, both Kiwi and Thai staff. Last time I was there getting some documements witnessed the guy I was dealing with told me how much work they had to do. He told me he enjoyed being able to help expats who had come to the Embassy for paperwork and genuine procedural issues and weren't in trouble because of "something else". I wonder if this applies to other embassies as well.
My dealings have been good with the UK embassy, but I have heard the horror stories. As well as your MP, there is an ombudsman that covers the work of the Foreign Office. I don't have contact details, but the ombudsman are usually very good at investigating and sorting matters out - plus I am sure they would relish a trip to Bangkok to investigate matters (and look into issues at the embassy...)
Here is the illusion " Rights to assistence" It's about the same everywhere ..we have no rights.
My word! What is the world coming to? That is truly scandalous.Originally Posted by Frankly
I've only had good experiences at the British Embassy, never had problems phoning the Embassy, the Thai staff are efficient and fluent in English, the British staff are friendly and helpful and the Burmese guards are lovely chaps. Frank, you never lived In Surat Thani by any chance? The tone of your posts sounds very familiar.
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In my opinion, if I go to the Canadian Embassy to get assistance, I should be dealing with a Canadian citizen and not a Thai. What's the point in dealing with a Thai? As a citizen of Canada I would think that it is my right to have a Canadian attend to my queries and not some Thai. I suppose it would depend on the circumstances of the visit, but I would still prefer dealing with a Canadian over a Thai. Not racial at all, just that if you visit your country's embassy you should be dealing with people from that country.
Tang Hua Seng, Sirindtorn Road, on the Thonburi side of the river.
Re: Currupt BKK Embassy
I also have never had a prob wiv da Brit Embo
I've seen sum funny shit in ther too
scruffy guyz asleep across 3 seats
people changin shirts in the waitin area
guyz in ther wiv painted-up flesh-showin high-heeled BGs
people freakin out etc.
by da way,,,,,u can buy woks in most local markets
if u wanna pat kao or kwaeteo
Last edited by 8ball; 1st November 2008 at 09:58. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I-never-dun-a-ting-rong-in-me-life-m8
I think he wants a flying pan though, not a wok
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