A handful of British ex-pats domiciled in
Pattaya meet with H.E. Asif Ahmad, the British ambassador to Thailand
and British Consul Michael Hancock.
Dr. Iain Corness &
Sue K
It was great news for the British citizens living in
Pattaya when H.E. Asif Ahmad, the British ambassador to Thailand visited
our town on February 20 to announce the reopening of the consulate here
and to introduce the new team that will provide consular assistance and
services in Pattaya and the surrounds.
Leela Bennett, the vice consul in Pattaya stated that
the consulate acts as a coordinating center between British nationals
and the police, the embassy, the immigration, the hospitals, and their
families back home.
The assistance includes giving advice on passports,
travel in Thailand, security, local laws, health and safety, and other
issues that may arise, while more detailed paper procedures are referred
back to the Bangkok office.
This is done in close co-operation with the British
Embassy in Bangkok.
Please note that the consulate does not provide visa
services but is happy to give advice and guide the applicants to proper
channels.
H.E. Asif expressed his full support for the staff at
the Pattaya office and is open for any suggestions and pleas from the
British nationals to report back to the concerned departments, be it
Thai or British authorities in order to improve and promote quality of
life, business, human and universal rights.
Later in the day, the British Embassy invited some of
the more noteworthy British ex-pats domiciled in Pattaya to a meeting
with the British Ambassador and British Consul Michael Hancock.
At the outset, HE Asif proclaimed that he wanted to
talk “with” the dozen or so ex-pats, and not “at” them. As an opener, it
became apparent that there was more than one destitute UK passport
holder living rough on the streets of Pattaya.
Discussion ensued as to what could be done for these
people and HE promised that if an ‘association’ of some type could be
brought together to assist distressed Brits, then the embassy would
assist where they could.
The ongoing inequality in British pensions was
brought up (as usual) with mention being made that British pensions in
Thailand are frozen, whilst British pensions in the Philippines are not.
HE Asif said that he would pass this upwards, but reminded the ex-pats
that whilst he could hand it on, the ambassador was not in the position
where he could change government policy.
A groundswell of discontent was brought up, comparing
the poor British pensions with the very generous allowances to illegal
immigrants, for example. HE Asif promised he would pass this upwards as
well.
After that HE Asif mentioned that he would be talking
to the Pattaya police, the Pattaya immigration police and the Pattaya
mayor’s office where he would mention the traffic lights, beach erosion
and jet-ski’s. Everyone wished him well.
Details of embassy and consular assistance are
available at http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/
British Consulate in Pattaya is located at: Unit 3,
489/3 Moo 12, Jomtien Beach Road Soi 5 (next to Pattaya Immigration
Office), Nong Prue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20150.
Contact during office hours: +66 (0) 38 267 113
(Phone / Fax) email: leela.bennett@ fco.gov.uk - out of office hours,
the public should call the embassy at 02 305 8333 and follow the
instructions.
Consular Opening Hours are Monday - Friday, 9 -11:30
a.m.
