Jonathan Kings

Jonathan Dale Kings is a New Zealander 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.

For other people with similar names, see Jonathan King (disambiguation).
His Excelency
Jonathan Kings
22nd and 26th Administrator of Tokelau
In office
2011–2015
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded byJohn Allen
Succeeded byLinda Te Puni
New Zealand Ambassador to Thailand
Assumed office
April 2022
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Preceded byTaha Macpherson
New Zealand Ambassador to Cambodia
Assumed office
April 2022
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
New Zealand Ambassador to Laos
Assumed office
April 2022
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
Personal details
Born
Jonathan Dale Kings

Auckland, New Zealand
SpouseMandy
Children1
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
OccupationDiplomat
Politics of Tokelau

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]

Early life and education

Jonathan Dale Kings was born in Auckand, New Zealand 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]

Career

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]

Ambassador to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos

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 launced 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 strenghten connections between ethnic Maoris and Lao Songs.[17]

Personal life

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]

References
  1. Trade, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and. "Jonathan Kings". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  2. Rulers of Tokelau
  3. Administrators of Tokelau
  4. "NZ appoints new Tokelau administrator". Radio New Zealand. 30 August 2017.
  5. "Jonathan Kings". MFAT. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  6. "New Ambassador to Thailand announced". The Beehive. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  7. Pokrud, Kathleen (2022-11-11). "H.E. Mr. Jonathan Kings Ambassador of The Embassy of New Zealand". Expat Life in Thailand. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  8. Pokrud, Kathleen (2022-11-11). "H.E. Mr. Jonathan Kings Ambassador of The Embassy of New Zealand". Expat Life in Thailand. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  9. "Wind could power Tokelau's new ship". RNZ. 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  10. Smith, Mackenzie (2018-09-27). "Trouble abound in Tokelau as NZ investigation into alleged corruption stalls". RNZ. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  11. Kings, Jonathan (2020-05-07). "Pivoting New Zealand's Aid Programme to respond to COVID-19". Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  12. "President receives letters of credence from foreign ambassadors". kpl.gov.la. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  13. "คุยกับทูต | โจนาธาน คิงส์ นิวซีแลนด์บนเวทีโลกวันนี้ (1)". Matichon Weekly. 10 February 2023.
  14. "Side event at 78th session of the Commission: From GDP to well-being and sustainability - Means and measures". ESCAP. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  15. "Meeting with His Excellency Jonathan Dale KINGS, new Ambassador of New Zealand to Cambodia ( 10 June 2022 ) - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation". www.mfaic.gov.kh. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  16. "Launch of Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships 2023 Selection Round". Cambodianess. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  17. "Sharing culture across the seas". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
  18. "คุยกับทูต | โจนาธาน คิงส์ นิวซีแลนด์บนเวทีโลกวันนี้ (จบ)". 2 March 2023.


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