Thailand's constitutional court has dismissed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her position as prime minister, ruling that she violated ethical rules during a phone call with Cambodia's senate president, Hun Sen. The decision, which takes immediate effect, threatens to usher in a fresh period of instability in the country.
The 39-year-old had been suspended from her duties on 1 July after a recording was leaked of the phone conversation, in which they discussed a simmering border dispute between the neighbouring countries. Critics accused her of failing to protect Thailand's interests during the call, in which she addressed Hun Sen as 'uncle' and told him that if there were anything he wanted, she would 'take care of it'. She also made critical remarks about a senior Thai military commander.
The court said Paetongtarn had put her private interests before those of the nation and damaged the reputation of the country. 'Due to a personal relationship that appeared aligned with Cambodia, the respondent was consistently willing to comply with or act in accordance with the wishes of the Cambodian side,' the court said in a statement.
Paetongtarn, the daughter of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, had apologised for her comments, describing them as a negotiating tactic. Speaking to media after the verdict, she said she accepted the judgment but added: 'I never asked for anything for my own benefit … the most important thing I have always upheld is the lives of our people, whether military or civilian.'
Weeks after the recording was leaked, the border dispute erupted into a five-day conflict in which dozens of people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Anger over the phone call and Paetongtarn's handling of the border crisis has been exacerbated by a perception that her family's personal relationship with Hun Sen was undermining Thailand's response.
Friday's verdict is a major blow for the Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thai politics for decades. Paetongtarn is the fourth member of her family to have their term cut short either by a military coup or court ruling. It is unclear who might take over as prime minister, as only individuals nominated by their parties as prime ministerial candidates at the last general election are eligible.
