Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday removed suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, finding that a controversial leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen had breached ethics rules.
The ruling throws the Southeast Asian nation into another bout of political instability, just a year after Paetongtarn took office.
In its verdict, the court said Paetongtarn’s June 15 call with Hun Sen, during which she appeared deferential to Cambodia’s former prime minister at a time of heightened border tensions, amounted to an ethical violation.
Weeks after the conversation, fighting broke out between the two countries’ militaries, leaving soldiers dead and escalating into five days of clashes.
What was discussed in the leaked call?
In the recording, Paetongtarn could be heard addressing Hun Sen as “uncle,” criticising her own army’s actions in the border conflict, and suggesting she would meet his demands.
“If you want anything, just tell me, and I will take care of it,” she said — remarks that quickly became the focus of legal and political scrutiny.
Paetongtarn later apologised, saying she had been trying to prevent a war. But for the court, the comments reflected a breach of the ethics required of a prime minister.
The 39-year-old leader, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, had been in power for only a year, having stepped in after the same court removed her predecessor Srettha Thavisin in 2024.
Fragile coalition faces more uncertainty
The ruling now paves the way for parliament to elect a new prime minister.
However, with Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party already struggling to maintain a narrow majority in its coalition, the process could prove prolonged and contentious.
The party has seen support erode due to internal divisions, a stuttering rollout of economic policies, and discontent over the leaked call.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will lead the caretaker government until a successor is chosen, but no timeline has been set for the parliamentary vote.
The political uncertainty comes at a difficult time for Thailand’s economy, which has slowed amid weak exports and subdued domestic demand. Analysts warn that continued instability could further dent investor confidence.
Paetongtarn’s fifth premier to be removed by Constitutional Court’s in 17 years
Paetongtarn’s removal highlights once again the power wielded by Thailand’s judiciary in shaping political outcomes.
She is the fifth premier in 17 years to be forced out by the Constitutional Court, which has consistently played a central role in the country’s enduring struggle between elected governments and entrenched conservative elites aligned with the monarchy and military.
Over the past two decades, Thailand has seen multiple coups, party dissolutions, and judicial rulings that have unseated leaders — from Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006 to Prayut Chan-o-cha’s nine-year rule following his 2014 coup.
In just the past three years, two prime ministers have been ousted and an election-winning party dissolved, underscoring the volatility of Thailand’s political landscape.
Ruling a setback for the Shinawatra dynasty
The ruling is also a major setback for the Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thai politics for more than two decades but has repeatedly clashed with the conservative establishment.
Last week, Paetongtarn’s father Thaksin survived a lese majeste case that could have carried a 15-year prison term, but the family’s influence remains a divisive issue in Thai society.
With Paetongtarn removed, attention now turns to Thaksin’s role in negotiating with coalition partners and power brokers to keep Pheu Thai in government.
Analysts say his influence could prove decisive in determining whether the party holds onto power or cedes ground to rivals.
Thailand faces another uncertain chapter
The removal of Paetongtarn marks yet another abrupt change in Thailand’s leadership, deepening concerns about political stability and governance.
For many Thais, the ruling reinforces a familiar pattern: elected leaders from the Shinawatra camp rising to power, only to be checked or removed by institutions aligned with the conservative establishment.
As parliament prepares to choose the country’s next leader, Thailand once again finds itself at a crossroads, with the balance of power between voters, courts, and elites still unresolved.
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