Phuket Australian Honorary Consul appointment 'may take months'
Claire Connell

PHUKET: -- The Australian Embassy in Bangkok has said it may be several months until a new Phuket Honorary Consul is appointed, after Larry Cunningham retired from the position.

Mr Cunningham spent eight years in the job before his contract expired in August and he did not renew it. He will stay in the role until the end of September, but after this week will return to Australia initially, then will divide his time between Phuket and his home country.

Applications for the job of Australia’s Phuket Honorary Consul closed on September 18.

The Australian Embassy in Bangkok said today (September 30) in a statement, “The assessment process for the applications may take several months.

“Suitable candidates will need to be interviewed, background checks need to be undertaken and the approval of the Australian and Thai governments will be required for the successful candidate. It is not possible to predict how long this process will take.”

The Embassy said that Australians in Phuket who require notarial or passport services can visit the Australian Embassy in Bangkok. Opening hours are 8.30am – 4pm weekdays and no appointments are necessary.

Australians with a consular emergency can contact the Australian Embassy in Bangkok on +66 2 344 6300 for assistance.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-australian-honorary-consul-appointment-%E2%80%98may-take-months%E2%80%99-42153.php


-- Phuket News 2013-09-30

...no mention of him being told to 'watch his step' not too long ago.....

...so no wonder people will not be eager to take his place....

They will likely have to wait until they get an application from an escapee from a lunatic asylum as no sane man would apply for the job.

The successor is most probably already known by at least some of the powers that be and it may take some time to manoeuvre everyone else into place.

Its a thankless job and wouldn't take it if it paid a million baht a month yet he did it on basically nothing.

Dealing with threats from locals, police, thugs and dealing with citizen deaths on a daily basis.

Larry is irreplaceable.