BANGKOK (Realist English). Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, escalating a political crisis that now threatens both her government and the future of the country’s dominant political dynasty.
The court announced on Tuesday that it had accepted a petition from 36 senators accusing Paetongtarn of dishonesty and violating ethical standards. The complaint stems from a leaked phone conversation with Hun Sen, former prime minister of Cambodia, during which Paetongtarn appeared to criticize a senior Thai military officer. In Thailand, such remarks are politically sensitive given the army’s entrenched role in politics.
While the court reviews the case, a deputy prime minister is expected to assume caretaker responsibilities. Paetongtarn will remain in cabinet in a new role as culture minister, part of a recent reshuffle. The government has not yet issued a statement on the ruling.
The suspension comes at a time of mounting pressure. The phone call, intended to defuse tensions on the Cambodian border, has sparked public backlash, cost Paetongtarn a key coalition partner, and prompted opposition parties to prepare a no confidence vote. Demonstrators have intensified calls for her resignation.
At just 38, Paetongtarn has faced a turbulent 10 months as Thailand’s youngest-ever premier. She succeeded Srettha Thavisin, who was removed by the same court, but her government has struggled with a faltering economy and declining popularity. A recent poll showed her approval rating plummeting to 9.2%, down from nearly 31% in March.
Meanwhile, her father and political mentor, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, is also in legal jeopardy. On the same day, he appeared in court to face lèse-majesté charges related to a 2015 interview given while in exile. Now 75, Thaksin denies the charges and reaffirms his loyalty to the monarchy. The Supreme Court is separately reviewing whether his prior hospital detention in lieu of prison violated parole rules.
With both Paetongtarn and Thaksin under legal fire, and the Pheu Thai Party losing its grip on power, Thailand’s long-dominant political force faces one of its gravest challenges in two decades.
