Thai court suspends PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra over leaked phone call
Thailand's top court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pending an ethics investigation over a leaked phone call with Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen. She accepted the decision, after being accused of violating the constitution with remarks about a deadly May border clash that sparked protests in Bangkok.
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Al Jazeera
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Thailand appoints another acting prime minister amid political turmoil
Thailand has ushered in the appointment of its second interim prime minister this week, following the Constitutional Court's suspension of the country's leader, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, fuelled by a phone call scandal with a key Cambodian political figure. Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai assumed caretaker responsibilities on Thursday, two days after Paetongtarn was banned from duties, a government statement on Thursday confirmed. In a post on social media, the Thai government said that Phumtham's role as acting prime minister had been agreed at the first meeting of a new cabinet, which took place shortly after ministers were sworn in by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The 71-year-old replaces Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who only carried out the role for one day ahead of the reshuffle. The interim appointments occurred after Paetongtarn was temporarily barred from office earlier this week over allegations that she breached ministerial ethics in a leaked phone conversation with Cambodia's influential former leader, Hun Sen. The call took place in mid-June with the aim of defusing recent border tensions between the two countries following an eruption of violence that killed a Cambodian soldier. Critics in Thailand expressed anger at Paetongtarn's decision to call Hun Sen 'Uncle' and to criticise a Thai army commander. The Constitutional Court accepted a petition from 36 senators, which claimed that the 38-year-old had violated the constitution in her conversation with Hun Sen. It said there was 'sufficient cause to suspect' Paetongtarn had breached ministerial ethics, with an investigation now under way into the incident. Before her suspension began, Paetongtarn appointed herself as culture minister in the new cabinet. She was sworn in to the position at the Grand Palace on Thursday. Paetongtarn's government had struggled to revive a flagging economy, with an opinion poll in late June suggesting that her popularity had dropped to 9.2 percent from 30.9 percent in March. Thailand's political dynasty has been facing legal peril on two fronts, as a separate court hears a royal defamation suit against her father, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin has denied the charges against him and repeatedly pledged allegiance to the crown. Thaksin dodged jail and spent six months in hospital detention on medical grounds before being released on parole in February last year. The Supreme Court will this month scrutinise that hospital stay and could potentially send him back to jail.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Will Thailand's Prime Minister survive the latest crisis?
Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is fighting for her political survival. The Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has 15 days to make her case after the country's high court suspended her for a breach of ethics. This comes after a phone call between Shinawatra and Cambodia's Senate President Hun Sen, discussing an earlier border dispute. list of 3 items list 1 of 3 list 2 of 3 list 3 of 3 end of list A leaked audio of that call, in which the prime minister referred to Hun Sen as 'uncle' and appeared to criticise a Thai army commander, has sparked outrage and protests. So, what's next for Paetongtarn Shinawatra? And for a country that's seen its fair share of military coups, what will it mean for democracy? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Sean Boonpracong – Political analyst. Thitinan Pongsudhirak – Political scientist at Chulalongkorn University. Kasit Piromya – Former Thai minister of foreign affairs.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Thai prime minister suspended over leaked phone call
BANGKOK: Thailand's Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who has come under mounting pressure to resign over her leaked phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The clip, in which Paetongtarn called him "uncle" and criticised a Thai military commander, sparked public anger and a petition for her dismissal, which the court is now considering. That would make Paetongtarn the third politician in the powerful Shinawatra clan - which has dominated Thai politics for the past two decades - to lose power before completing their term. Her ruling coalition is already teetering with a slim majority after a key conservative ally abandoned it two weeks ago. The Constitutional Court voted 7-2 to suspend her while they consider the case for her dismissal and she has 15 days to present her defence. In the meantime deputy PM Suriya Jungrungruangkit will serve as the country's acting leader. If she is eventually dismissed, Paetongtarn will be the second prime minister from the Pheu Thai party to be removed from premiership since August last year. At that time, her predecessor Srettha Thavisin was dismissed for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who was once jailed. Days later Paetongtarn - whose father is Thailand's deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra - was sworn in as prime minister. The 38-year-old remains Thailand's youngest leader and only the second womanto be PM after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra. Already struggling to revive a weak economy, Paetongtarn saw her approval rating fall to 9.2% last weekend, down from 30.9% in March. She apologised for what she had said in the leaked call, defending it as a "negotiation technique" over recent border disputes. But conservative lawmakers accused her of bowing down to Cambodia and undermining Thailand's military.
