Ambassador to Thailand

Today I announce the appointment of Dr Angela Macdonald PSM as Australia’s next Ambassador to Thailand.

The Australia–Thailand relationship spans seven decades and is underpinned by close engagement, deep security cooperation and enduring people-to-people links.

As strategic partners, Australia works closely with Thailand to support a stable and resilient Indo-Pacific, where all nations’ sovereignty is respected.

We are deeply committed to enhancing prosperity in the region we share.

We actively engage in regional forums and participate in regional trade agreements to achieve these goals.

Australia is supporting Thailand to deliver ambitious outcomes as the Chair of APEC in 2022. Australia and Thailand enjoy a substantial commercial relationship, underpinned by the Thailand–Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA).

Thailand is Australia’s 10th largest trading partner, with two-way trade valued at $19.6 billion in 2020.

Dr Macdonald is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently First Assistant Secretary, Global Counter-Terrorism, Middle East and Africa Division.

She has previously served overseas in Malaysia, Afghanistan, Belgium and New Zealand.

I thank outgoing Ambassador Allan McKinnon PSM for his contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Thailand since 2019.