TL/DR –
The Constitutional Court in Thailand has removed the suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, citing ethical misconduct over a controversial phone call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen. Shinawatra has become the fifth prime minister to be removed from office by Thai judges since 2008, which might lead to political uncertainty and a possible snap election. The ruling is the latest in a series of judicial decisions against Shinawatra and her family, leading some to suggest it’s part of an effort by the conservative establishment to end the Shinawatra dynasty.
Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand’s Constitutional Court ousted suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for ethical misconduct following a controversial conversation with Cambodia’s ex-leader, Hun Sen.
With this ruling, Paetongtarn becomes the fifth PM to be dismissed by Thai judges since 2008, instigating political instability and possibly a prompt election.
The court declared Paetongtarn had infringed upon the ethical principles of a PM during her call to Hun Sen amidst a border conflict between the countries.
The leaked chat revealed Paetongtarn pandering to Hun Sen, referring to him as “uncle”, and slamming a senior Thai army officer as an “adversary”.
This border argument later exploded into armed confrontations causing numerous deaths and displacement of people on both sides.
A blow to the Shinawatras
This ruling marks Paetongtarn as the second PM to be removed by the court within a year. Her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was also dismissed over alleged ethical breaches.
Napon Jatusripitak, from the Thailand Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, expressed this judgement as a worrying trend of judicial overreach.
The verdict also marks the second of three significant court decisions against Paetongtarn and her father, ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra.
The 76-year-old billionaire was absolved of a charge of insulting the country’s monarchy recently, but faces another trial over his hospital stay instead of serving a reduced sentence over corruption charges in prison.
What’s next?
Under Thailand’s constitution, only politicians who have been nominated for PM by their parties pre-2023 elections can form a government.
Pheu Thai has one more eligible candidate, Chaikasem Nitisiri, a Thaksin loyalist and former justice minister.
Other candidates hail from conservative parties, including Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party and Prayuth Chan-ocha, from the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party.
If legislators fail to agree on a new government, a snap election may have to be called.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor at Chulalongkorn University, expressed doubt that a new election would resolve Thailand’s political stalemate, highlighting the recurring issue of elected governments being overthrown.
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