Thailand’s Constitutional Court has dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra over an ethics breach, ending her premiership after only one year and delivering another setback to the Shinawatra political dynasty.
At 39, Paetongtarn was the youngest prime minister in Thailand’s history and the sixth Shinawatra-linked leader to be removed by military or judicial action over the last two decades.
The court’s ruling was based on a leaked telephone call from June, during which Paetongtarn appeared to show deference towards former Cambodian leader Hun Sen amid escalating border tensions near the Preah Vihear temple. Fighting broke out weeks later and lasted five days. The court found her conduct violated the ethical standards expected of a prime minister.
Parliament now faces the task of electing a new prime minister, though the process may be prolonged. Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party has lost bargaining power and faces difficulty holding together its slender parliamentary majority. Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled former premier and her father, is expected to play a key role in behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Until a new leader is chosen, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will lead the government in a caretaker role. Of the five candidates eligible to become prime minister, only one—77-year-old former attorney general Chaikasem Nitisiri—represents Pheu Thai. Other candidates include former prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and Anutin Charnvirakul, who recently pulled his party out of Paetongtarn’s coalition.
The ruling comes amid frustrations over slow reforms and weak economic growth, with the Bank of Thailand forecasting just 2.3% growth this year. The opposition, enjoying strong public backing, is pushing for early elections, threatening any fragile coalition’s stability.
“Appointing a new prime minister will be difficult and may take considerable time,” said Chulalongkorn University political analyst Stithorn Thananithichot. “It’s not easy for all parties to align their interests. Pheu Thai will be at a disadvantage.”