The court's ruling, made by a 7-2 vote, means Paetongtarn has 15 days to respond to the allegations. During this interim period, the Deputy Prime Minister will take on the responsibilities of acting leader, while she remains a cabinet member as the culture minister, a role she was appointed to shortly before her suspension. On Tuesday, Paetongtarn issued an apology, asserting that her call with Hun Sen was focused on national interests amid rising tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over a border dispute that has escalated in recent months.
She defended her intentions, insisting that she was focused on maintaining peace and preventing loss of life, stating, “If you listened to it carefully, you’d understand that I didn’t have ill intentions.” Should the court ultimately decide to dismiss her, it would mark the second removal of a Pheu Thai party prime minister since last August, when her predecessor was ousted for appointing a politically controversial figure to his cabinet.
This ongoing situation underscores the significant power the Constitutional Court holds in Thai politics, prompting critics to voice concerns that such judicial interventions are often used to target political rivals. Political scholars view the pattern of court rulings as indicative of deep-seated issues within Thailand's political system. As Paetongtarn, who is only 38 and the youngest leader in Thailand's history, grapples with dwindling support and an unstable economy, her father's ongoing political trials further complicate the political landscape for the Shinawatra family.
The unraveling of her tenure comes just as her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, faces his own legal challenges related to past remarks that violated the country's strict lese majeste laws. Thaksin's political rehabilitation was part of a broader bargain that brought the Shinawatra family back into the political fold after years of conflict. As the situation evolves, the implications for both the Shinawatra family and Thailand's political landscape remain critical to watch.
She defended her intentions, insisting that she was focused on maintaining peace and preventing loss of life, stating, “If you listened to it carefully, you’d understand that I didn’t have ill intentions.” Should the court ultimately decide to dismiss her, it would mark the second removal of a Pheu Thai party prime minister since last August, when her predecessor was ousted for appointing a politically controversial figure to his cabinet.
This ongoing situation underscores the significant power the Constitutional Court holds in Thai politics, prompting critics to voice concerns that such judicial interventions are often used to target political rivals. Political scholars view the pattern of court rulings as indicative of deep-seated issues within Thailand's political system. As Paetongtarn, who is only 38 and the youngest leader in Thailand's history, grapples with dwindling support and an unstable economy, her father's ongoing political trials further complicate the political landscape for the Shinawatra family.
The unraveling of her tenure comes just as her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, faces his own legal challenges related to past remarks that violated the country's strict lese majeste laws. Thaksin's political rehabilitation was part of a broader bargain that brought the Shinawatra family back into the political fold after years of conflict. As the situation evolves, the implications for both the Shinawatra family and Thailand's political landscape remain critical to watch.
