Thailand's constitutional court has dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling that she violated ethical rules during a phone conversation with Cambodia's senate president, Hun Sen. The decision, announced on Friday, means the 39-year-old loses her job after about a year in power, threatening a new period of political instability.
The court found that Paetongtarn put private interests before the nation and damaged Thailand's reputation. In a leaked recording of the call, she addressed Hun Sen as 'uncle' and said she would 'take care of' anything he wanted, while also criticising a senior Thai military commander. The court stated that due to her personal relationship with Cambodia, she appeared willing to comply with Cambodian wishes.
Paetongtarn apologised for her remarks, describing them as a negotiating tactic. Speaking after the verdict, she said she accepted the judgment but insisted she never sought personal benefit. 'As a Thai, I love my nation, religion, and monarchy with all my heart,' she added.
The phone call and subsequent border conflict, which left dozens dead and hundreds of thousands displaced, sparked protests in Bangkok with thousands calling her a traitor. Hun Sen, an old friend turned foe of her father Thaksin, published the recording and threatened to release further compromising information.
Paetongtarn is the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to have a term cut short by a coup or court ruling. Her father Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup; her uncle Somchai Wongsawat was forced out by a court in 2008; and her sister Yingluck was removed by a court in 2014 before a military coup. Paetongtarn took office last year after her predecessor Srettha Thavisin was removed over an ethics case.
Referencing the courts' frequent political interventions, Paetongtarn called for unity to restore stability. It remains unclear who will succeed her, as only candidates nominated in the last general election are eligible. Two of the Pheu Thai party's nominees have now been ousted, leaving the party struggling to gather support.
