By Jonathan Head BBC Bangkok correspondent

The new head of the World Trade Organisation is the first director general from a developing country, and is expected to support many of the concerns of the developing world in future trade negotiations.

There will be a marked change in leadership style now that Supachai Panitchpakdi has taken the helm of the WTO.

Unlike his straight-talking predecessor, Mike Moore, the chess-playing former Thai minister has a more thoughtful, academic way of presenting ideas.

The WTO is not getting a firebrand campaigner

Both men have stressed continuity between their split terms as WTO director general.

The Doha round of negotiations launched last November is likely to continue for another two-and-a-half years.

But Mr Supachai argues that developing countries have not got a fair deal in previous trade talks.

World trade, he believes, cannot just be measured in dollars and cents, but must take into account more human concerns, like jobs.

Advocate

Born in 1946, Mr Supachai studied economics in the Netherlands and the UK, and then spent 12 years working in Thailand's central bank, before being elected a member of parliament in 1986.

He held the posts of deputy prime minister and commerce minister, during the Asian currency crisis, during which Thailand's economy contracted sharply and many of its citizens lost faith in globalisation.

Expectations of Mr Supachai as an advocate for the developing world are high.

It was for this reason that the US opposed his candidacy three years ago, forcing the compromise under which he and Mr Moore shared the six year term.

But unlike many of the people who now criticise the pace of globalisation, he has a reputation as a cautious and diplomatic man, no firebrand campaigner.

However, given the difficulties of the next round of trade talks, he will need all his diplomatic skills to win concessions from rich countries, especially on agriculture.