Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office amid an intensifying legal battle, marking a major setback for a government already grappling with political instability.
The suspension follows a petition from 36 lawmakers who accused Paetongtarn of breaching ethical standards. At the center of the case is a leaked June 15 phone conversation between the Prime Minister and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Intended to ease border tensions, the call instead sparked national outrage after it was made public, leading to sharp criticism and the withdrawal of a key political party from the ruling coalition.
The fallout has significantly weakened Paetongtarn’s parliamentary support and triggered widespread calls for protests and leadership change. In response to the court’s ruling, she expressed regret over the phone call, emphasizing that her sole intention was to protect Thai sovereignty and safeguard the lives of soldiers.
A member of the influential Shinawatra political dynasty, Paetongtarn assumed office just 10 months ago following the disqualification of former PM Srettha Thavisin. She is the fourth member of her family to become Prime Minister, inheriting a longstanding feud between her camp and the military-backed elite, a rivalry that has shaped Thai politics for decades.
Her popularity has plummeted amid economic woes and political turbulence, with recent polls showing her approval rating dropping from nearly 31% in March to just 9.2% in June.
In the wake of her suspension, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit has been appointed interim leader. Paetongtarn has been reassigned as Minister of Culture in a temporary cabinet reshuffle and has 15 days to present her defense to the court.
Compounding the government’s challenges, her father — former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is also entangled in legal proceedings. He appeared in court this week to face charges of defaming the monarchy, a serious offense in Thailand that carries prison terms of up to 15 years per count.
The charge stems from a 2015 interview he gave while in exile. After spending over a decade abroad, Thaksin returned to Thailand in 2023 to serve time for earlier convictions involving corruption and abuse of power. Due to health concerns, he was held in hospital custody for six months and later granted parole in February. The court is now assessing whether that hospital stay was legally justified — a decision that could send him back to prison.
Financial markets responded swiftly to the political shake-up, with Thai stocks rising nearly 2% on speculation that the central bank may ease interest rates to counterbalance the uncertainty.
As the court reviews the case, Thailand’s political future remains uncertain, with the ruling likely to shape the nation’s leadership and legal standards for years to come.
