Crime
Australia Appoints New Ambassador to Thailand
Mr Robilliard is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
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BANGKOK – Paul Robilliard has been appointed as Australia’s next Ambassador to Thailand, he is expected to replace James Wise in October.
Mr Robilliard is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been Minister at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta since February 2009
Mr Robilliard has served overseas as Consul-General in Honolulu (2001 – 2004), Ambassador to Syria and Lebanon (1992-1995), Second Secretary, Singapore (1986 – 1989) and Third Secretary, Damascus (1982 – 1984). In Canberra, Mr Robilliard has been Assistant Secretary Afghanistan and Iraq Branch (2008), Head, Iraq Task Force (2006 – 2008), Assistant Secretary Parliamentary and Media Branch and Departmental Senior Spokesperson (1999 – 2001), and Assistant Secretary, International Organisations Branch (1998 – 1999). From 1990 to 1992 he was an Adviser to the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gareth Evans.
Mr Robilliard was born in 1956 and educated at the Australian National University. He is married with two children.
Thailand is now Australia’s sixth-largest trading partner, with merchandise trade worth $16.3 billion. We are pursuing further liberalisation through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations.
Thailand is a significant source of inward direct investment for Australia, with the total stock valued at $4.6 billion in 2013. Australian companies are also actively pursuing business opportunities in Thailand, including in the transport, logistics, construction, manufacturing, financial services and education sectors.
People-to-people interaction between our two countries is significant. More than 900,000 Australians travelled to Thailand in 2013.
