Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday, 29 August for an ethics violation after only a year in power. It deals another blow to Shinawatra political dynasty and could lead to some political turmoil.
Paetongtarn, Thailand’s youngest prime minister, becomes the sixth PM from or backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family to be removed from power by military or judiciary in the last two decades.
In its verdict, the court said Paetongtarn violated ethics in a leaked June telephone call, during which she appeared to kowtow to Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen – when both the countries were on the brink of an armed conflict. Further escalation led to a five-day conflict between the two nations.
The Parliament will now elect a new prime minister, a process that could be drawn out, with Paetongtarn’s ruling Pheu Thai party losing bargaining power and facing a challenge to shore up a fragile alliance with a very thin majority.
Deputy PM Phumtham Wechayachi will be in charge as caretaker until a new PM is elected by the house, with no time limit for the process.