Appointments of Singapore’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand and Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines

The Government has appointed Mrs Chua Siew San (née Tan) as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand and Mr V P Hirubalan as Singapore's next Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. Mrs Chua and Mr Hirubalan will assume post on 5 March and 12 March 2012 respectively.

Mrs Chua started her career as an analyst in Singapore's Ministry of Defence in 1974 and headed the Research Department there from 1983 to 1995. She was appointed Deputy Secretary (Policy) in the Ministry of Defence in March 1995, and held that post until October 2006. Her most recent appointment was Deputy Secretary (Asia-Pacific) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (October 2006 to August 2011).

Mrs Chua graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Second Class Upper Honours) degree in Political Science from the University of Singapore in 1974. She obtained a Master of Arts (Political Science) in 1981 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, on a Fulbright scholarship.

Mrs Chua was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1990 and Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 1999. She also received the Long Service Medal in 1999.

Mrs Chua is married to Mr Chua Eu Liam and they have two sons.

Mr Hirubalan served in Singapore's Ministry of Defence in various appointments before his transfer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 1996.

After serving as Director of ASEAN Directorate and Director of Directorate I overseeing Southeast Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hirubalan was posted to Jakarta in February 1998 as Minister-Counsellor and later as Deputy Chief of Mission. He was Singapore's High Commissioner to Negara Brunei Darussalam from January 2002 to December 2005. Mr Hirubalan served as Singapore's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from February 2006 to July 2009. Concurrently, he was accredited as the non-resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain. He was also the non-resident Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman from April 2007 to February 2008. His most recent appointment was Director of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (July 2009 to February 2012).

Mr Hirubalan obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) First Class from the University of Singapore in 1980 for which he was presented the Shell Gold Medal. He was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 1984 and proceeded to obtain his Masters in International Relations from Yale University, USA, graduating in 1986.

Mr Hirubalan was awarded the Long Service Medal in 1995 and the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1996.

Mr Hirubalan is married to Mrs Manoranchitham Hirubalan and they have three children.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
22 FEBRUARY 2012