Thailand plunged deeper into political uncertainty on Friday after the Constitutional Court removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her entire cabinet, citing ethical misconduct in her handling of a sensitive border dispute with Cambodia.
Paetongtarn, the daughter of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was suspended from office on July 1, following allegations that she failed to defend Thailand’s interests during a controversial phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The call, leaked online in June, became the center of a firestorm that destabilized her fragile ruling coalition.
In a 6-3 ruling, the nine-member Constitutional Court declared that Paetongtarn had failed to uphold the ethical standards expected of a prime minister, effectively terminating her tenure.
“Her actions resulted in a loss of public trust and gave the impression that she prioritized personal over national interest. This raised serious doubts about her loyalty to the nation,” one of the judges said during the reading of the verdict.
The ruling also dissolved her cabinet, compounding the leadership vacuum in a country still reeling from political divisions and elite rivalries.
Controversial call sparked fallout
At the heart of the case was Paetongtarn’s leaked call with Hun Sen, the influential former Cambodian leader and father of current Prime Minister Hun Manet. In the conversation, Paetongtarn reportedly addressed Hun Sen as “uncle” and referred to a Thai military commander as her “opponent,” triggering outrage in Thailand, where the military maintains significant influence over politics.
Conservative lawmakers accused her of appeasing Cambodia and undermining national security. Her main coalition partner walked out in protest, nearly collapsing her government.
Though she held onto power briefly, a group of senators petitioned the Constitutional Court, arguing she had violated constitutional provisions requiring ministers to demonstrate “evident integrity” and ethical conduct.
Speaking to reporters after the ruling, the 39-year-old former prime minister defended her actions.
“My intentions were in the national interest, for the safety and well-being of civilians and soldiers alike, not for personal gain,” she said.
With Paetongtarn’s ouster, Thailand is now faced with a deepening leadership crisis. The constitution allows only those nominated for prime minister in the last general election to assume the post. Of the nine candidates nominated in 2023, several are either ineligible, lack party support, face legal issues, or are ruled out on health grounds.
Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai may not have the constitutional authority to call a new election, raising further uncertainty about how a new leader will be chosen.
Paetongtarn had led an uneasy coalition government made up of her Pheu Thai Party and smaller conservative groups, some of which had long opposed her family’s influence in Thai politics.
Long-running rivalry
Friday’s ruling marks the sixth time a prime minister from the Shinawatra-backed political movement has faced the Constitutional Court. Only her father, Thaksin, managed to survive such proceedings — others were removed from office for reasons ranging from vote-buying to appearing on a cooking TV show.
The decades-long feud between the pro-military, royalist establishment and the Shinawatra political dynasty has shaped Thai politics since Thaksin first came to power in 2001.
In a twist of timing, the court’s ruling came just a week after a criminal court acquitted Thaksin, now 76, of royal defamation charges — a case that had carried a potential 15-year prison sentence.
The leaked phone call, made public by Hun Sen himself, not only caused a domestic uproar but also severely strained diplomatic ties with Cambodia. In July, tensions escalated into the deadliest military clashes between the two countries in decades, with over 40 people killed and more than 300,000 displaced along the border.
Thailand now faces not only a political leadership crisis at home, but also growing instability along its border.
AFP
