On Friday, the Constitutional Court removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office for an ethics violation after only a year in power. This decision came after she was found guilty of ethical misconduct over a contentious phone call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen.
Paetongtarn became Thailand‘s youngest prime minister in August 2024, and she became the fifth member of the billionaire Shinawatra family to be deposed by the military or judiciary in a violent two-decade power struggle between the country’s rival elites.
In a 6-3 ruling, the Constitutional Court held that Paetongtarn “lacks the qualifications and possesses prohibited characteristics” under the Thai constitution, thereby ending her term in office.
The court said, “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.”
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The court ruled that Paetongtarn had “seriously violated” the ethical standards expected of a prime minister when she spoke to Hun Sen during an intensifying border confrontation between the two countries.
In the call that leaked on June 15, Paetongtarn was heard appealing to Hun Sen and calling him “uncle,” while criticizing a senior Thai army general as an “opponent.”
In the leaked audio, Paetongtarn was heard saying if Hun Sen “wants anything, just tell me, and I will take care of it.”
The court previously suspended the prime minister from her official duties on July 1 pending the trial. Paetongtarn’s comments were confirmed to be authentic by both sides.
The former prime minister apologized to the Thai people over the leaked audio, saying her remarks were a negotiating strategy used to resolve tensions.
She said, “This is another time that the court’s decision has created a sudden political change.” “As a Thai, I love my nation, religion and the king. Thank you to everyone who gave me knowledge and experience.”
