Tej gives govt a credibility boost

"It is the government's boon [merit]", said former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, referring to the Samak government's good fortune to have Tej in the Cabinet. Indeed, it was inconceivable to many that the adviser Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would take the helm at Saranrom Palace.

Tej was the only Cabinet member who received royal blessings for his job on Saturday. It was an auspicious occasion for him. His Majesty the King blessed him and wished him success with his task. HM the King encouraged the new foreign minister to fulfil his duty to the country to the best of his ability. "This is an important duty. I hope you do not have too many problems in carrying out your duty in the best interests of the country," said HM the King.

His presence in the Samak government is extremely significant. After all, the government's sagging image has improved all of a sudden. He has restored much-needed creditability to the government, especially the Foreign Ministry, which has been under attack by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

After graduating from St Antony's College, Oxford University in 1969, he decided to join the Foreign Ministry instead of taking the academic route. His dissertation focused on the history of Siam's provincial administration during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. He is also considered an expert on the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods.

After serving in the Southeast Asia Department as a second secretary, he was promoted to chief of the Political Affairs Department's East Asian Division. In 1976, he went abroad for the first time as first secretary at the Thai Embassy in Jakarta.

Returning from Jakarta, he served as director of the economic and financial policy division of Asean's Director-General's Office. Within one year, he was promoted to deputy director-general of the Asean Affairs Department. His meteoric rise in the ministry was due to his deep understanding of the countries in Southeast Asia. He enjoyed the first ambassadorial rank in 1983 attached to the Office of Permanent Secretary. His first ambassadorial post was in China in 1986. He then moved to Geneva in 1990 and France in 1996 before serving in Washington for four years. He met and knew Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who served in Paris as ambassador at the same time.

He returned to Bangkok to take up the post of permanent secretary for foreign affairs before retiring after 35 years serving Thailand. Immediately, he was appointed adviser to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary.

After the burning of the Thai Embassy in January 2003, he headed the joint Thai-Cambodian Cultural Commission to promote better understanding between the two countries. The commission has met several times since then. Bilateral ties were improving until the disagreement over Preah Vihear Temple surfaced.

Tej, who chooses his words carefully, will be able to "de-politicise" Thailand's foreign policy and international relations. His non-partisan status helps boost the government. With his background and his previous responsibilities, nobody would question his integrity.

The soft-spoken diplomat will also ensure that the upcoming Asean Summit in December will run smoothly. As a former desk officer of Asean, Tej knows and understands the importance of Thai chairmanship. He has told his senior officials to try their best to promote Asean and turn the grouping into a people-centred organisation. If he stays on beyond six months, he will also oversee the second phase of Thai chairmanship under the Asean Charter.