Thailand: Prime Minister suspended over leaked Cambodia call
The judges voted 7 to 2 to suspend the 38-year-old prime minister after accepting a petition from 36 senators accusing her of dishonesty and a breach of ethical standards.
Why has Thailand's prime minister been suspended?
Paetongtarn has faced growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia, which saw a Cambodian soldier killed in a violent clash in May.
During a leaked June 15 phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, Paetongtarn appeared to criticize an outspoken Thai army commander — considered a red line in a country where the military has significant clout.
Despite apologizing and insisting that her remarks were a negotiating tactic, thousands of conservative, nationalist-leaning protesters rallied in central Bangkok on Saturday to demand the prime minister's resignation.
"I only thought about what to do to avoid troubles, what to do to avoid armed confrontation, for the soldiers not to suffer any loss," she said. "I wouldn't be able to accept it if I said something with the other leader that could lead to negative consequences."
Paetongtarn first has 15 days in which to provide evidence to the constitutional court to support her defense, in which time Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit is expected to become acting prime minister.
"Government work doesn't stop, there is no problem," Tourism Minister and Pheu Thai Party Secretary-General Sorawong Thienthong told the Reuters news agency. "Suriya will become caretaker prime minister."
Thai government under pressure
However, the government has been left with only a wafer-thin majority after Paetongtarn's leaked call saw a key party abandon her coalition and threaten a no-confidence vote.
Earlier on Tuesday, King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed cabinet reshuffle which should have seen Paetongtarn assume the position of culture minister in addition to prime minister. But it's unclear if she will be able to be sworn into the role during her suspension.
She said on Monday that she would accept and follow the process but she didn't want to see her work interrupted.
It's not the first time that Paetongtarn has faced allegations over ethics breaches; she is currently also under investigation by Thailand's Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission in a separate case.
The Constitutional Court last year removed her predecessor over a breach of ethics while her father, the influential former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was deposed in a military coup in 2006.
Also on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry insisted that would not comment on an "internal" Thai affair but said: "As a friendly neighbour, we hope that Thailand will maintain stability and development."
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Observer
21 hours ago
- Observer
Blow for Thai's govt as court suspends PM
Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, in a major setback for a government under fire on multiple fronts and fighting for its survival. The court accepted a petition from 36 senators accusing Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards, based on a leak of a sensitive telephone call with Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen that was intended to de-escalate a territorial row and tense troop buildup at their border. The leaked June 15 call triggered domestic fury and has left Paetongtarn's coalition with a razor-thin majority after a big party abandoned the alliance and accused her of undermining sovereignty, as protest groups threaten more demonstrations to demand a new government. Paetongtarn's battles after only 10 months in office underline an intractable power struggle between the billionaire Shinawatra dynasty and an influential establishment backed by the army — a two-decade grudge match that has seen two military coups and court rulings that have toppled multiple parties and prime ministers. She accepted the court's decision on Tuesday and apologised over the leaked call, during which she kowtowed before Hun Sen and criticised a Thai army commander, a red line in a country where the military has significant clout. "My true intention in the leaked conversation, my true intention 100 per cent, was to work for the country to maintain our sovereignty and save the lives of all our soldiers," Paetongtarn told reporters. It has been a baptism of fire for political novice Paetongtarn, who at 37 was thrust into the spotlight last year as Thailand's youngest premier after the Constitutional Court dismissed ally Srettha Thavisin for a violation of ethical standards. Paetongtarn, the fourth member of her family to hold the top post, has been struggling to revive a stuttering economy and arrest a sharp decline in popularity, with an opinion poll released at the weekend showing her approval rating sinking to 9.2 per cent in June from 30.9 per cent in March. Thai shares jumped 1.8 per cent after the midday break on expectations that political uncertainty could lead to further cuts in interest rates by the central bank. Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit takes over as caretaker premier while the court decides the case against Paetongtarn, who has 15 days to respond and will stay in the cabinet as the new culture minister following a reshuffle. Paetongtarn is not alone in her troubles, with influential tycoon father Thaksin Shinawatra, the driving force behind her government, facing legal hurdles of his own in two different courts this month. Polarising tycoon Thaksin appeared at his first hearing at Bangkok's Criminal Court on Tuesday on charges he insulted Thailand's powerful monarchy, a serious offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. Thaksin denies the allegations and has repeatedly pledged allegiance to the crown. — Reuters
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Thailand: Prime Minister suspended over leaked Cambodia call
Bangkok: The Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was suspended by the country's constitutional court on Tuesday pending an investigation into a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian politician. The judges voted 7 to 2 to suspend the 38-year-old prime minister after accepting a petition from 36 senators accusing her of dishonesty and a breach of ethical standards. Why has Thailand's prime minister been suspended? Paetongtarn has faced growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia, which saw a Cambodian soldier killed in a violent clash in May. During a leaked June 15 phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, Paetongtarn appeared to criticize an outspoken Thai army commander — considered a red line in a country where the military has significant clout. Despite apologizing and insisting that her remarks were a negotiating tactic, thousands of conservative, nationalist-leaning protesters rallied in central Bangkok on Saturday to demand the prime minister's resignation. "I only thought about what to do to avoid troubles, what to do to avoid armed confrontation, for the soldiers not to suffer any loss," she said. "I wouldn't be able to accept it if I said something with the other leader that could lead to negative consequences." Paetongtarn first has 15 days in which to provide evidence to the constitutional court to support her defense, in which time Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit is expected to become acting prime minister. "Government work doesn't stop, there is no problem," Tourism Minister and Pheu Thai Party Secretary-General Sorawong Thienthong told the Reuters news agency. "Suriya will become caretaker prime minister." Thai government under pressure However, the government has been left with only a wafer-thin majority after Paetongtarn's leaked call saw a key party abandon her coalition and threaten a no-confidence vote. Earlier on Tuesday, King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed cabinet reshuffle which should have seen Paetongtarn assume the position of culture minister in addition to prime minister. But it's unclear if she will be able to be sworn into the role during her suspension. She said on Monday that she would accept and follow the process but she didn't want to see her work interrupted. It's not the first time that Paetongtarn has faced allegations over ethics breaches; she is currently also under investigation by Thailand's Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission in a separate case. The Constitutional Court last year removed her predecessor over a breach of ethics while her father, the influential former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was deposed in a military coup in 2006. Also on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry insisted that would not comment on an "internal" Thai affair but said: "As a friendly neighbour, we hope that Thailand will maintain stability and development."
Times of Oman
3 days ago
- Times of Oman
Thai protesters urge Shinawatra to quit over border dispute
Bangkok: Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday to demand the resignation of Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra over an escalating border dispute with Cambodia. Bangkok police said around 17,000 protesters had showed up despite monsoon rains in the afternoon. They chanted "Ung Ing, get out," using the prime minister's nickname. "She should step aside because she is the problem," said Parnthep Pourpongpan, one of the protest leaders. Saturday's protest was organised by a nationalist group known as the United Force of the Land. In the past, the group has rallied against previous governments led by various members of the Shinawatra family. Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia surrounding a historic Buddhist temple. The dispute flared up on May 28 when a border skirmish broke out between the Thai and Cambodian armies. One Cambodian soldier was killed in the incident. In the following days, a phone call between Paetongtarn and Cambodia's former prime minister Hun Sen that was meant to ease tensions was leaked to the press. Paetongtarn was accused ot kowtowing to the Cambodian lawmaker in the call, in which she called him "uncle" and referred to a Thai military commander in the border region as her "opponent." She later apologized for the comments. In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled that the area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia. The temple was the site of clashes in 2011. In 2013, the UN court reaffirmed its earlier ruling. Hun Sen on Saturday accused the Thai army of a serious violation of Cambodia's sovereignty in last month's border skirmish. "This poor Cambodia has suffered from foreign invasion, war and genocide, been surrounded and isolated and insulted in the past, but now Cambodia has risen on an equal face with other countries," he said in a speech at the 74th anniversary celebration of the founding of his long-ruling Cambodian People's Party.
