Australian Honorary Consulate Activity – July to September 2019

This blog provides some information and an insight into the activity and service provided in the North of Thailand by the Honorary Counsel.

The work hours provided are voluntarily donated by the Honorary Consul to operate the consulate in Chiang Mai. The previous 3 months saw a considerable number of consular services provided & public diplomacy activities attended involving 141 hours of consulate work.

The key consular activities currently are (1) taking passport applications, (2) providing information & referrals regarding notarial services, (3) referring Australian visa enquirers to VFS Global, (4) supporting the Embassy consular case work in the northern region and providing other general information & assistance to clients (5) undertaking public diplomacy activities.

 

Consular Service Information

Follow is for general awareness:

Passports Applications Chiang Mai – Australian passport applications can be lodged with the Honorary Consul, Chiang Mai – by appointment only. Please contact the Australian Consulate Chiang Mai (Monday to Thursday 9 am to 12 noon) on 091 857 6996 or by email – ausconcm@gmail.com – to book an appointment. More information here

Consular Outreach – Visit Schedule – The next Chiang Mai Outreach by Embassy staff will be held on Thursday, 21 November 2019 (9 am to 12 noon) at Le Meridien Hotel Chiang Mai. More information here

Marriage in Thailand – No Impediment Certificate –  The Australian Embassy now issues a Certificate of No Impediment for Australians to get married in Thailand – these can not be obtained from the Chiang Mai Consulate. More information here 

Income Statutory Declarations – Please note that Australian consular or diplomatic officers are only permitted to witness an Australian Statutory Declaration being made for use in Australia by an Australian entity. More information here

Booking Appointments – Australian Embassy Bangkok – Passport and Notarial Services are provided by appointment ONLY – (subject to appointment availability and excluding Embassy public holidays). See here for booking information

Booking Appointment – Australian Consulate Chiang Mai – Please contact the Australian Consulate Chiang Mai during operating times (Monday to Thursday 9 am to 12 noon) on 091 857 6996 or by email – ausconcm@gmail.com – to discuss your questions or to book an appointment.

 

Community Outreach & Public Diplomacy Events

There are a variety of event invitations from the Thai Government, private sector and other agencies that offer opportunities for public diplomacy engagement in the community. The following highlights some of the community engagement activity during the past 3 months period of July, August and September 2019.

National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) – It was a delight to be a guest of NARIT, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation together with the Thai National Commission for UNESCO at the inauguration of the International Training Centre in Astronomy under the auspices of UNESCO.

It was also a pleasure to meet the Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, along with NARIT staff and researchers. We enjoyed a facility tour after the opening ceremonies. Australia has an MOU with NARIT and they are collaborating with Australia’s Macquarie University.

 

US Consulate Music Night – What a fun night as a guest of US Consul General Chiang Mai – enjoyed great entertainment from the combined U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force Band and the Royal Thai Air Force band. The musical concert was in celebration of 200 years of U.S.-Thai Friendship and held at the Chiang Mai Rajabhat University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Lovely reception ahead of the concert. Musical offerings were varied in English and Thai including favorites from the Eagles, Elvis, Louis Armstrong, previous Thai Kings jazz compositions and many more.

Japanese Consulate – It was a nice social evening attending the Japanese Consul General welcome reception at Shangra la Hotel with other members of the consular corps and invited guests- good to liaise with many contacts.

Australian Direct Aid – Enjoyed participating, along with Australian Embassy representatives, in yesterday’s Chiang Mai International Rotary Club Children’s Water Safety & Drown Proofing Program graduation ceremony. An Australian Direct Aid Grant supported this program that saw 126 children from the Ban Chaeng Khu Ruang Municipal School, in Phrao district, learn water safety skills. Certificates and medals were presented to the children. Also stopped in for a visit with the Warm Heart Foundation Phrao on the trip back to Chiang Mai.

Marmara School Witchai Wittaya English Program -The Honorary Consul supported the school to recognise and honor 4 exceptional students who have excelled and achieved many successes & personal goals. After the awards ceremony a morning tea was held with the student’s parents and senior staff. This school has sister schools in Australia.  วันนี้ Mr.Ronald J.Elliott กงสุลกิตติมศักดิ์ออสเตรเลียประจำจังหวัดเชียงใหม่ ได้ให้เกียรติเดินทางมาเยี่ยมโรงเรียนวิชัยวิทยา และถือโอกาสมอบรางวัลและเกียรติบัตรเยาวชนดีเด่นเพื่อเป็นกำลังใจให้แก่เด็กนักเรียนที่สร้างชื่อเสียงให้กับโรงเรียน

 

Australian Sculpture Exhibition – Pleased to catch up with Dr Ian Bonde, from Tasmania who is currently a guest lecturer and artist in residence at Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Fine Arts. Ian has an extensive art career including exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, London, Paris, Germany and USA. He has strong ties to Thailand over the past 23 years including residencies in Chiang Mai and Bangkok and lectures at Silpikorn University. He will be holding an exhibition at the Fine Arts Gallery CMU, opening on the 9th at 6 PM, running to 31 October 2019 and open to the public.

Chiang Mai University Medical 60th Anniversary Expo – Great pleasure to join the Provincial Governor, other Consulates, VP CMU, Dean of CMU medical faculty and guests to participate in the opening ceremonies. A tour of the expo exhibits (open to the public this weekend) followed with demonstrations and explanations on the wide variety of medical equip and professional services available at the CMU Hospitals & facilities – Maharaj Nakorn (Suan Dok), Sripat, the Center of Medical Excellence & Geriatric Hospital. An interesting and educational morning on this CMU medical faculty anniversary.

Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Made a courtesy call on the office of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chiang Mai to thank the Manager for helping me recently on a particular consular issue, also to pass on good wishes for the retirement of the Chiang Mai Governor.