In brief
Thailand is facing a significant political upheaval as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted by the Constitutional Court for ethical breaches linked to a leaked phone call with Cambodia's former leader. The call, which involved criticisms of the Thai army and personal relationships that raised potential conflicts of interest, has effectively ended her brief tenure and placed the powerful Shinawatra family in a precarious position. Following the court's ruling, a new government may quickly form under the Bhumjaithai party as political tensions in the region escalate.
Thailand's prime minister has been removed by the Constitutional Court, plunging the country's politics into turmoil and dealing a blow to its most powerful political dynasty.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was dismissed for violating ethics in a leaked June phone call, where she could be heard calling Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen uncle and criticising the Thai army, amid worsening border tensions with Cambodia.
The call, leaked by Hun Sen himself, damaged her reputation and critics accused her of undermining the country's army.
The ruling makes Paetongtarn, the daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the fifth prime minister to be removed from office by the court since 2008.
The court's nine judges voted six to three against Paetongtarn, ruling that her actions had violated ethical standards expected of her office. The court stated that her personal relationship with Cambodia appeared to align too closely with foreign interests and diminished national priorities.
Hours after her removal, her former coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai party, announced its plans to form a new government, indicating a shift in political alliances and priorities.
This removal marks yet another significant moment in the storied and tumultuous history of the Shinawatra family in Thai politics, raising questions about their ability to maintain influence in the face of intense legal and political scrutiny.
