Jonathan Kings | |
---|---|
22nd and 26th Administrator of Tokelau | |
In office 2011–2015 | |
Prime Minister | John Key |
Preceded by | John Allen |
Succeeded by | Linda Te Puni |
New Zealand Ambassador to Thailand | |
In office April 2022 –23 November 2023 | |
Prime Minister | Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins |
Preceded by | Taha Macpherson |
New Zealand Ambassador to Cambodia | |
In office April 2022 –November 2023 | |
Prime Minister | Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins |
New Zealand Ambassador to Laos | |
Assumed office April 2022 | |
Prime Minister | Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins |
Personal details | |
Born | Jonathan Dale Kings Auckland,New Zealand[ citation needed ] |
Spouse | Mandy |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
Occupation | Diplomat |
Jonathan Dale Kings is a New Zealand diplomat who is the current New Zealand ambassador to Thailand,Cambodia and Laos. [1] He was formerly the Administrator of Tokelau from 2011 to 2015, [2] [3] and from 2017 to 2018; [4] and the Deputy Secretary of the Pacific and Development Group from 2015 to 2022 as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade he joined in 2010. [5] He was also responsible for New Zealand's relations with Niue.
Kings graduated from the Victoria University of Wellington. Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,Kings had a career in law and held responsibilities in Investment New Zealand;New Zealand Trade and Enterprise;and Industry New Zealand. [6] He also worked in Paris for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Before 2000,he was a chief executive at an Australasian energy sector consulting firm. [1]
Jonathan Dale Kings was born in Auckland,New Zealand [ citation needed ] in either 1961 or 1960. He is related to two other New Zealand diplomats. At 7 years old,his family moved to Wellington when his father began working in a senior post for the Department of Education. [7] He graduated from the Victoria University of Wellington. [1]
Kings held posts in London and Paris whilst he was working for the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. [8]
From 2011 to 2015,Kings served as the 22nd administrator of Tokelau. In 17 December 2013,Kings announced that Tokelau would receive new ships with a capacity of 60 people that would travel to and from Samoa each day by 2015. [9]
From 2017 to 2018,he served again as the administrator of Tokelau following the removal of David Nicholson as administrator. In April 2017,Kings ordered Tokelau to suspend puplic servants Puka and Suveinakama for corruption. [10] In mid-March 2020,he approved financial aid to twelve Pacific nations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,and also medical aid to Indonesia and Timor-leste. [11]
On 26 January 2022,the Minister of Foreign Affairs,Nanaia Mahuta,announced the appointment of Kings as the next ambassador to Thailand. [6] Along with Amanda McDonald,he arrived in Bangkok in late February 2022,where he then spent two months learning Thai. He then travelled to Vientiane in Laos to present his letter of credance to the Lao president,Thongloun Sisoulith,on 23 February 2023. [12]
He assumed the role of ambassador to Thailand in April after Songkran. [13] In October,he received his credentials from the Thai king,Vajiralongkorn. [8] On 26 May 2022,he attended the 78th session of the Commission on "From GDP to well-being and sustainability - Means and Measures" in Bangkok. [14] Kings aims to rebuild New Zealand-Thailand relations after they were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. [7]
On 10 June 2022,Kings and the Cambodian Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,Tout Panha held a meeting to further Cambodia-New Zealand relations. [15] Later on,he officially launched the 2023 Selection Round for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships on 1 February 2023 in Cambodia,offering up to 35 scholarships to Cambodians seeking to help develop Cambodia. [16] Kings has also worked with the New Zealand embassy to encourage Thai students to seek education in New Zealand. [7] On 18 August,he attended the "Maori &Thai Song Dam" exhibition held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok,which aimed to strengthen connections between ethnic Maoris and Lao Songs. [17]
Kings' favourite hobby is golf. [7] He is married to Madame Mandy,whom they live together in downtown Bangkok. Together they have one daughter and two grandchildren who reside in Wellington. As ambassador,he has visited Ayutthaya,Hua Hin,Krabi,Pattaya and Sukhothai with his wife. The two also enjoy visiting museums and art galleries in Bangkok. [18]
In September 2022,he was admitted to a hospital in Thailand. [7]
The foreign relations of New Zealand are oriented chiefly toward developed democratic nations and emerging Pacific Island economies. Until the late 20th century,New Zealand aligned itself strongly with the United Kingdom and had few bilateral relationships with other countries. From the latter half of the 20th century,Australia has been New Zealand's most important cultural,economic and military partner. Today,the country participates in several multilateral political organisations,including Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation,the Pacific Community,and the Pacific Islands Forum. New Zealand has been described as an emerging power;however,such a claim needs to be considered in the context of its medium-sized economy and limited military capability. The country's major political parties have generally agreed on the broad outlines of foreign policy,and the government has been active in promoting free trade,nuclear disarmament,and arms control.
The foreign relations of Thailand are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Neil Douglas Walter is a New Zealand diplomat,and a former Administrator of Tokelau,a territory of New Zealand. He served from February 1988 until 1990,and again from 1 March 2003 to 17 October 2006.
The Realm of New Zealand is the area over which the monarch of New Zealand is head of state. The realm is not a federation but is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch. New Zealand is an independent and sovereign state that has one territorial claim in Antarctica,one dependent territory (Tokelau),and two associated states. The Realm of New Zealand encompasses the three autonomous jurisdictions of New Zealand,the Cook Islands,and Niue.
The administrator of Tokelau is an official of the New Zealand Government,responsible for supervising the government of the dependent territory of Tokelau.
David Bruce Payton was the Administrator of Tokelau from 17 October 2006 to 2009.
Niue maintains diplomatic relations with various other countries and multilateral organizations.
Denmark–Thailand relations date back to 1621. Denmark operates an embassy in Bangkok,along with a consulate in Phuket,although it used to have one in Pattaya. The Danish embassy in Bangkok also handles Danish relations with Cambodia,with the current Danish ambassador of Thailand also being the ambassador to Cambodia. Thailand itself operates an embassy in Copenhagen.
Lindsay Johnstone Watt is a retired New Zealand diplomat. His roles include being New Zealand ambassador to China from 1985 to 1990,and the administrator of Tokelau for 10 years from 1993.
New Zealand–Thailand relations refers to bilateral relations between New Zealand and Thailand. New Zealand operates an embassy in the All Seasons Place in Bangkok,whilst Thailand operates an embassy in Wellington. The current Thai ambassador to New Zealand is Waravuth Pouapinya,and the ambassador to Thailand from New Zealand is Jonathan Kings. Both are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.