McCully names new Ambassador to Bangkok

Career diplomat Bede Corry will be New Zealand's next Ambassador to Thailand, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today.

Mr Corry will also be accredited to as New Zealand's Ambassador to Cambodia, Laos, and Burma.

"New Zealand's relationship with Thailand is one of our closest in Southeast Asia. We work together on a number of regional issues, and that cooperation is reinforced by the personal links flowing from education and tourism exchanges," Mr McCully said.

"The Closer Economic Partnership agreement between our countries has resulted in a significant increase in trade, and Thailand is now New Zealand's tenth-largest trading partner," Mr McCully said.

Mr Corry has previously been posted to Canberra and Washington, and most recently was director of Australia Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He takes up his posting in August, replacing Brook Barrington, who is returning to Wellington.