Canadian is new Australian Honorary Consul in Phuket

She replaces Larry Cunningham, who stepped down at the end of September last year, after eight years in the post.

Mrs Hawryluk, who is fluent in Thai, was chosen months ago for the post, but has been waiting for Thai government approval of her appointment.

In a recent interview on Phuket Live Radio 89.5 with radio host Tim Shaw, Australian Ambassador James Wise said that the official announcement was “very close”. This has yet to happen, however.

It is understood that the delay has been due to the current caretaker status of the Thai government and the sporadic disruption of the civil service by anti-government protesters.

Mrs Hawryluk, although Canadian, holds a licence to practise law in New South Wales, Australia (She attended Bond University in Queensland). She is also licensed to practise in New York State in the US.

In the past, she worked with “a lot of Australians who got into trouble,” she told The Phuket News, and had also worked from time to time with Mr Cunningham on legal aspects of cases he was handling.

She said she put her name forward after Mr Cunningham stepped down, not knowing whether she would even qualify. “I thought it would be good to apply but I wasn’t sure if they would take me because I was Canadian.”

Her company in Thailand – she works as a legal adviser because only Thais may be heard before Thai courts – is Haris & Hawryluk, though she says this name will change soon to Hawryluk Legal Advisers after partner Haris Boonsup stopped working with her.

The company offers advice on immigration matters, retirement visas, family cases, real estate and corporate law.

Asked what inspired her to apply for a basically unpaid post looking after Australians who get into trouble in Phuket, ranging from traffic accidents to being ripped off by jet ski operators to being arrested for a variety of crimes, she joked, “I guess I like to complicate my life. I don’t know.”

“But I’ve lived here for a long time. My job already involves dealing with a lot of colourful individuals from all walks of life, not just Australians. And to be honest, running a law firm here I know how to get around probably better [than most people].

“I thought it would be fun and it’s nice to help people. But talk to me in a year.”

Asked if her style will be as confrontational as Mr Cunningham – whose reputation was such that police would sometimes ask that a person with a problem not call him, and whose name alone, if mentioned, would often make extortionists back off – she said, “No, not at all. That’s definitely not my style.”

Described by Tim Shaw as “a caring, highly thoughtful individual, low-key in her approach [and] mature beyond her years,” Mrs Hawryluk also works with her husband, Num Noi, who operates a gym teaching students the art of Muay Thai in Phuket.

They also assist and care with fostering some young boys whose parents had brought them to the gym for training.

Mrs Hawryluk can be contacted by email or by calling her office at 076 510 111

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