A consular team from the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok headed by Ambassador Linglingay F. Lacanlale rendered consular extension services for the Filipino community in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand on 21 August at Lanna Palace 2004 hotel. The Embassy organized the extension service in coordination with the Association of Filipinos in Thailand – Northern Region Chapter headed by its energetic president Ms. Roxanne L. Oddie.
The team rendered passport services, legalization of documents and on site issuance of overseas employment documents.
During the Embassy’s service, the consular team also held a dialogue with the Filipino community. During the open forum, Ambassador Lacanlale discussed the need for unity among members of the Filipino community in the region. She urged them to regularly update, and communicate with, the Embassy on major issues and concerns affecting the Filcom. The Filcom, many of whom work as English teachers in local schools, shared accounts of some problems they encounter in the workplace in particular, the terms and conditions of employment. There was also a query on possible recognition in Thailand of units earned in the Philippines. Ambassador Lacanlale assured the Filcom that the Embassy will look into their concerns and try to find ways of addressing these with the help of the Royal Thai government.
Mr. Cruz also briefed the participants on OWWA’s package of benefits that are now available to Filipinos in Thailand, and his office’s ongoing information dissemination and membership campaigns and documentation of employment status.
On the same day, Ambassador Lacanlale visited the “Cory House” in the province with Ms. Oddie, Mr. Francis Caoile and a few other Filipinos. Ambassador Lacanlale met with the house owners Nasee and Kanchit, members of the indigenous tribe in Chiang Mai. The house was built by volunteers from the Filipino community in November 2009 under the “Habitat for Humanity Project.”
The Embassy staff also met with Chiang Mai Immigration Representatives headed by Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanasorn Tangkaew. During the meeting, the Embassy thanked the Immigration Officials for receiving them and for the warm welcome extended to them. Immigration officials, on the other hand, informed the Embassy that Filipinos in the region are generally law-abiding and that they do not have any problem with them. Embassy officials also expressed hope that similar meetings would continue in the future.
