Bangkok (EFE).- Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday ordered the dismissal of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after she was found guilty of violating ethics for criticizing a senior military officer in a leaked telephone call.
In the leaked audio recording of the conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, the Thai leader, who was suspended from office by the court on July 1, called a commander of the powerful Thai military an “opponent,” amid heightened tensions with the Cambodian armed forces following the death of one of its soldiers during a clash in a disputed border area between the two countries on May 28.
A nine-judge panel ruled in a 6-3 split decision that the prime minister had violated the code of ethics and that her criticisms demonstrated a lack of unity between the military and the government, according to a live broadcast of the decision.
“The actions of the accused, aimed at negotiating the simultaneous opening of border checkpoints with Cambodia, aligned more with the wishes of Hun Sen than with the interests and security of the nation,” said one of the judges, who accused Paetongtarn of prioritizing her “personal relationship” with the Cambodian leader and trying to reduce criticism of her handling of the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
The court’s ruling also means that all members of the cabinet must resign.
Paetongtarn was not present in court and listened to the sentencing from the Government House, where she arrived just after noon.
“I would like to reaffirm my innocence and my true intention, which has always been to serve the country. Regardless of the conversations that appeared in the audio clips, I have never sought anything for my personal gain,” the former Thai leader told reporters after the ruling.
“This is the court’s decision today, and once again it has brought about a sudden political change,” said the 39-year-old.
The call took place on June 18 amid tensions between the neighboring countries sparked by a cross-border clash that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.
Paetongtarn apologized for her remarks and said that she was trying to defuse tensions and avert a major conflict, which eventually erupted on July 24, killing at least 44 people during five days of fighting.
However, more than 30 senators petitioned the Constitutional Court to examine whether the prime minister’s remarks had constituted a serious violation of ethical standards, as enshrined in Article 160 of the Constitution.
The decision to remove yet another member of the powerful Shinawatra clan from power deepens the political instability of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, with one of the slowest growth rates in the region, and opens the door to a new parliamentary selection process for a successor.
Only five candidates can run for prime minister including Chaikasem Nitisiri (of Phue Thai, a party linked to the Shinawatra clan), Prayut Chan-ocha (the general who seized power in a coup in 2014 and was prime minister from 2019 to 2023), and opposition leader Anutin Charnveerakul (who left the coalition government after the leaked audio).
Paetongtarn came to power in August 2024 after then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was removed from office in another controversial decision by the same court.
In the past 20 years, the Constitutional Court has removed five prime ministers, including Paetongtarn, all of them tied to parties controlled by the Shinawatra dynasty, who have long-standing disagreements with pro-military and pro-monarchy groups. EFE
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