Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade RGOB
The new Asian Development Bank Country Director to Bhutan Ms. Kanokpan Lao-Araya presented her credentials to the Hon’ble Foreign Minister, Lyonpo Damcho Dorji, at a ceremony conducted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gyalyong Tshogkhang on 20 February 2017.
Ms. Lao-Araya holds a PhD in Experimental Economics, Trade, Public Finance from Indiana University (Bloomington) USA. She joined the Asian Development Bank in July 2001 as an Economist in the Economic Research Department in Manila, Philippines. Prior to joining ADB, Ms. Lao-Araya has worked as Senior Economist in Thailand’s Fiscal Policy Office under Ministry of Finance since April 1998. Before being appointed as the ADB Resident Representative to Bhutan, she worked as Principal Results Management Specialist/Officer In-Charge in Manila Philippines from 2013.
Ms. Lao-Araya is a Thai national. She succeeds Mr. Tshewang Norbu, who served as ADB’s first Resident Representative to Bhutan. She is the second ADB Representative to Bhutan. The ADB Office in Thimphu was established in 2014.