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Honesty is the best policy
Honesty is the best policy when dealing with the US
Embassy to obtain a visa to visit the United States. This was the message
from Tim Swanson, chief of the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of the
US Embassy in Bangkok, at the Sunday, October 14, meeting of the Pattaya
City Expats Club. Club member Gary Hacker made the introduction.
Master of Ceremonies Richard
Silverberg opens the meeting by inviting new guests to introduce themselves.
Tim started by describing the types of visas available to travel to the USA;
one is the Non-Immigrant Visa for those who want to visit for a short period
of time and the Immigrant Visa for those that want to immigrate to the US.
The Immigrant Visa is usually sought by a relative or spouse of a US
citizen. The applicant must first start the process with the US Citizenship
and Immigration Services within the US Department of Homeland Security as
they make the determination of eligibility. Tim said the Consular Service in
Bangkok processes a few thousand of these a year. However, they process
around 60,000 applications for Non-Immigrant Visas a year.
Tim explained the application process and the importance of the interview
with the Consular official. Tim pointed out that there is no provision for a
US Citizen to sponsor someone; thus the Thai applicant is interviewed on
their own. Under US Law, there is a presumption that anyone applying to
visit the US actually wants to live there and will not return to their home
country. Consequently, the interviewer seeks to determine that the applicant
has sufficient reason to return to Thailand and not remain in the USA.
Although documents are required, how the interview goes is the key. Further,
he said the most important factor in the interview is for the applicant to
be honest. The interviewers are very experienced and if they sense the
person it not being honest, they will deny giving them a visa. If the
interviewer is satisfied, they will grant the Non-Immigrant Visa, which is
valid for 10 years and can be used multiple times.
 PCEC Member Gary Hacker (also
US warden for Pattaya) introduces Tim Swanson, Chief of American Citizens
Services Unit of the US Embassy in Bangkok.
Tim then talked about the ACS, explaining it is responsible for processing
US passports, assisting distressed US citizens, handling matters related to
deaths of US citizens, and in helping families that are trying to find an
American relative that is supposed to be in Thailand. Further, the ACS acts
as a gateway for citizens that are applying for social security or veterans
benefits. Until recently, the ACS was not strict about making appointments
for non-emergency services. However, they were brought to task about that
and were instructed to enforce this requirement as other US Embassies do
around the world.
Two areas that do take up a lot of his time are arrests and deaths of US
citizens in Thailand. In the case of arrest, the ACS can provide a list of
lawyers, but they do not pay for the lawyers. Their responsibility is to see
that the US citizen is not mistreated and receives the same handling as a
Thai citizen. In some cases, a Consular officer will visit the American
citizen; but in outlying areas, the visit may be made by an Embassy Warden.
In the case of a death of an American Citizen, they are usually notified by
the Thai police. Tim explained the various services they could provide such
as notification of next of kin, acting as a conservator of the person’s
property if needed, and assisting the family in making arrangements for
cremation in Thailand or repatriation of the body. Again, he pointed out
that the Embassy does not pay for these services which are the
responsibility of the next of kin or person the deceased had previously
authorized to make arrangements.
If the person has the foresight to have prepared a written document for use
in case of their death, they can designate who they want to make funeral
arrangements and the Embassy generally will not be involved. However, if
they have not made such arrangements, then the ACS will contact the next of
kin and follow their instructions.
A most interesting part of Tim’s talk was his reason for joining the Foreign
Service; as a US agricultural extension officer in the Philippines in the
1990s, Tim was kidnapped by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and held
captive for 50 days on the island of Negros. Following his release, Tim felt
that joining the US Foreign Service would be the best way he could serve.
You can learn more about the Club and its activities by visiting their
website at www. pattayacityexpatsclub.com.
Tim describes the services
provided by ACS; as well as visas, ACS handles arrangements when a US
citizen dies in Thailand, and attempts to locate US citizens who go missing
in Thailand.
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Frozen food on menu at Makro HoReCa Day
Makro Pattaya General Manager
Sanasanee Khongsiriwattanakul addresses the gathering during the opening
ceremonies for this year’s Makro HoReCa Day.
Phasakorn Channgam
Makro Cash & Carry showed off its large selection of frozen
foods to hotel, retail and business customers at its annual “HoReCa Day” event.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh was on hand as the wholesaler hosted its largest
customers for the Oct. 16 exhibition, which helped hotel kitchens, retail shops
and others add more diversity to their menus.
Makro Pattaya General Manager Sanasanee Khongsiriwattanakul said HoReCa has been
held for three years and always attracts crowds. “This year,” she said, “we have
focused on expanding the frozen food businesses through activities such as
demonstrations of cooking food from various frozen ingredients and a seminar on
different frozen products.”
She said she believed the workshops would help customers add innovation to their
offerings for less cost.
In addition to food demos, there was an auction on specially prized electrical
appliances, a seminar on exchanging opinions on cuisines from restaurants,
hotels, shops and an exchange of ideas on new business plans.
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Hard Rock Hotel celebrates 11 years in Pattaya
General Manager Juan Carlos Smith
(center) and honored guests cut the anniversary cake.
Vittaya Yoondorn
The Hard Rock Hotel celebrated its 11th anniversary party
featuring costumes and music.
General Manager Juan Carlos Smith hosted the Oct. 12 event, welcoming hotel
employees and community leaders.
Two Thai and one international band, the Philippines’ Star Cats, provided the
entertainment.
Employees dressed up as their favorite rock stars, led by Smith, who cut the
anniversary cake as guests sang “Happy Birthday.” Workers then got another
treat, as managers and executives put on a stage show.
In Pattaya for more than a decade, the Hard Rock Hotel underwent a massive
renovation completed last year, giving its rooms, lobbies, restaurants and the
swimming pool area a new look. The hotel offers 323 rooms, three restaurants
and, of course, the adjacent Hard Rock Café.
We made it!
Staff celebrates Hard Rock’s 11th
year in Pattaya.
PILC prepares for Christmas Bazaar, thanks sponsors
TIt’s always festive at the annual
PILC Christmas Bazaar, which this year celebrates 20 years.
WThe women of the Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) are working
diligently on their upcoming Christmas Bazaar in hopes that this, the 20th
annual event, will be one of the most successful ever. Visitors on Saturday,
November 3rd, will find the 17th floor ballroom of the Hilton Hotel at Central
Festival, Beach Road transformed into a shopping extravaganza featuring more
than 70 vendors for the one day event.
A stage will be erected in the sea-view anteroom where a full day’s programming
will take place, as well as the fantastic raffle drawings. This year the raffle,
a major PILC fundraiser, has some exciting prizes on offer, including 2-night
stays in Chiang Mai and Krabi, bicycles, electrical appliances, and vouchers
from local businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and spas. Besides the
entertainment for everyone, there are lots more things for the kids this year,
including a visit to Santa!
Ananya Welland, PILC Chair of Special Events, says, “We have had a massive
response to our sponsorship plea this year, and I would like to take the
opportunity to thank all our corporate sponsors, who include Caterpillar, BJV,
Asian Tigers Transpo, Foster Wheeler, Bumrungrad Hospital, Esso, Jelly Belly and
JVK International Movers. We also have many private sponsors, like Linda’s
Restaurant covering the cost of printing, for example. And, of course, there are
many businesses, hotels and shops in Pattaya who give generously to our raffle,
which raises even more money for our welfare work. There are really so many to
thank, and we certainly couldn’t do it without them!”
Raffle tickets are available at Casa Pascal on 2nd Road, Linda’s Restaurant in
Jomtien, or from any PILC member. They will also be available all day long at
the event on November 3rd. For full details of the Bazaar, see the PILC website
(www.pilc-pattaya.com).
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