Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday (August 29) dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office for an ethics violation, ending her premiership after just one year and dealing another major blow to the powerful Shinawatra political dynasty.
In a 6-3 ruling, the court found Paetongtarn guilty of putting personal interests ahead of the nation in a leaked telephone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The conversation, which surfaced in June, suggested she was willing to comply with Cambodia’s demands during a tense border dispute that escalated into a five-day clash. Judges said her actions damaged national credibility and eroded public trust.
Paetongtarn, 39, Thailand’s youngest-ever prime minister, had apologised for the call, saying her intent was to prevent war. She was thrust into power last year after the court dismissed her predecessor Srettha Thavisin. Her removal makes her the sixth Shinawatra-backed leader forced out of office by the military or judiciary since 2006.
The verdict leaves Thailand facing fresh political uncertainty. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and the current cabinet will serve in a caretaker role until parliament selects a new leader a process analyst warn could be prolonged due to fractured alliances.
Only five candidates are eligible for the premiership, including Pheu Thai’s Chaikasem Nitisiri, 77, who has limited political experience. Other possible contenders include former prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the 2014 coup against a Shinawatra-led government, and Anutin Charnvirakul, who recently withdrew his party from Paetongtarn’s coalition.
The decision further underscores the Constitutional Court’s central role in Thailand’s protracted struggle between elected governments aligned with the Shinawatras and conservative-royalist forces backed by the military. With economic growth forecast at just 2.3 percent this year, political deadlock could deepen public frustration over stalled reforms and governance instability.
“Appointing a new prime minister will be difficult and may take considerable time,” said Stithorn Thananithichot, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University. “Pheu Thai will be at a disadvantage in the negotiations.”
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