Quinton Quayle

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Quinton Mark Quayle is a British diplomat. Educated at Bromsgrove School. In February 2007, he was appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand and Lao People's Democratic Republic. He took up this post in August 2007, succeeding Mr. David Fall, who retired as Ambassador and from the Diplomatic Service. Not long settled into his post, Quayle came to prominence when a plane bound for Phuket crashed killing 89 people, including a number of British subjects, on Sunday 16 September. Mr Quayle spoke live with British television media on a mobile phone en route from Bangkok to the crash site by car (the destination airport being, of course, closed).

Quayle was previously the Ambassador for the United Kingdom in Romania (Bucharest) between November 2002 and May 2006, replaced by Robin Barnett. Before taking up his post in Romania, he had studied the Romanian language in Iaşi and now speaks the language fluently. One of his areas of expertise is the European Union, which is part of the reason why he was sent as Ambassador to Romania, which will join the EU by 2007, in part due to the advocacy of the UK. Mr. Quayle has been Deputy Head of the European Community Department, FCO. His responsibilities here included the Association Agreement with Romania.

He has spent a lot of time promoting trade and his most recent job before his posting to Bangkok was International Group Director with UK Trade and Investment. He has also worked in the private sector for Price Waterhouse Management Consultants.

His interests include book collecting - first editions of detective fiction - and watching football - he is a fan of West Bromwich Albion F.C.. Mr. Quayle is married to Alison, who is a professional French and Romanian translator. They have two sons, one studying Philosophy at Newcastle University and the other working as a Corporate Planning specialist near London.

Quayle is fluent in Romanian, French, and Thai.