Thai court suspends PM from duty pending case seeking her dismissal
Panu Wongcha-um
and
Panarat Thepgumpanat
, Reuters
Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Photo:
JACK TAYLOR / AFP
Thailand's Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government under fire on multiple fronts.
The court in a statement said it had accepted a petition from 36 senators that accuses Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethnical standards in violation of the constitution over the leak of a politically sensitive telephone conversation with Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen.
The government is expected to be led by a deputy prime minister in a caretaker capacity while the court decides the case against Paetongtarn, who will remain in the cabinet as the new culture minister following a reshuffle.
The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on her suspension.
The leaked call with the veteran Cambodian politician triggered domestic outrage and has left Paetongtarn's coalition with a razer-thin majority, with a key party abandoning the alliance and expected to soon seek a no confidence vote in parliament, as protest groups demand the premier resigns.
During a June 15 call intended to defuse escalating border tensions with Cambodia, Paetongtarn, 38, kowtowed before Hun Sen and criticised a Thai army commander, a red line in a country where the military has significant clout.
She apologised and said her remarks were a negotiating tactic.
Paetongtarn's battles after only 10 months in power underline the declining strength of the Pheu Thai Party, the populist juggernaut of the billionaire Shinawatra dynasty that has dominated Thai elections since 2001, enduring military coups and court rulings that have toppled multiple governments and prime ministers.
It has been a baptism of fire for political novice Paetongtarn, who thrust into power as Thailand's youngest premier and replacement for Srettha Thavisin, who was dismissed by the Constitutional Court for violating ethics by appointing a minister who was once jailed.
Paetongtarn's government has also been struggling to revive a stuttering economy and her popularity has declined sharply, with a June 19-25 opinion poll released at the weekend showing her approval rating sinking to 9.2 percent from 30.9 percent in March.
Paetongtarn is not alone in her troubles, with influential father Thaksin Shinawatra, the driving force behind her government, facing legal hurdles of his own in two different courts this month.
Divisive tycoon Thaksin, according to his lawyer, appeared at his first hearing at Bangkok's Criminal Court on Tuesday (US Time) 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.
The case stems from a 2015 media interview Thaksin gave while in
self-imposed exile
, from which he returned in 2023 after 15 years abroad to serve a prison sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power.
Thaksin, 75, 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.
- Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
8 minutes ago
- RNZ News
E-mail to Youth MPs 'could have been clearer'
About half of the young people invited to learn how Parliament works were asked to remove parts of their speeches mentioning government policies. Photo: RNZ /Dom Thomas The Ministry of Youth Development has acknowledged the way it communicated with Youth MPs about changes to their speeches could have been clearer. Youth MPs representing coalition parties' MPs have also pushed back on the accusations of censorship from their peers. About half of the young people invited to learn how Parliament works by emulating the job of MPs were asked to remove parts of their speeches mentioning government policies, including pay equity and the Treaty Principles Bill. Some decried this as "censorship" . In a statement, Ministry of Youth Development general manager John Robertson said it was long-standing practice to review Youth MPs' general debate speeches and suggest changes. "We've looked through our correspondence and acknowledge we could have been clearer and more consistent in our language. The e-mail headers said 'General Debate Speech feedback - changes required' and the content of our e-mails went on to explain our feedback was just 'recommendations'. "We accept that this could have caused confusion." Since the accusations of censorship, the ministry has underlined that it was up to the Youth MPs what their speeches would contain and "we fully respect your right to shape your speech in the way that feels right to you". Some of the Youth MPs have done just that - vowing to deliver their speeches without the suggested edits. Robertson confirmed members of the Youth Press Gallery - assigned to emulate political reporters - also had their work checked by the ministry before being it could be distributed more widely. He said the Youth Parliament was intended to be non-partisan, and this was explained to participants from the start of their induction. "Both general debate speeches and youth press gallery contributions are moderated, and we may suggest changes. This is a long-standing practice with Youth Parliament." He reiterated the ministry's guidance was intended to ensure articles and speeches remained focused on policy rather than party, did not breach defamation, copyright, privacy, or contempt of court laws, followed principles of no naming, no blaming, no shaming, and made no false assertions or claims not backed by fact. On Wednesday, Youth MPs representing MPs from New Zealand First, National, and ACT held a press conference of their own, accusing campaigners for Make it 16 of hijacking Youth Parliament for their own politicking. "They knew the entire time they could do their speech. They're just stirring this whole thing up because they came here with an agenda," said Jerry Wei, Youth MP for Karen Chhour. He dismissed concerns the speeches had been censored. Bryn Pierce, Youth MP for Andy Foster, said some speeches that other Youth MPs disagreed with were disrupted by walk-outs or repeated points of order. "That is not an environment where Youth MPs can truly feel safe to share their voice," he said. The press conference ended up being joined by other Youth MPs, keen to debate each other on Parliament's steps. Benjamin Kingsford, Youth MP for Jan Tinetti, said it was a shame the debate about censorship was being reported on instead of the content of the speeches. "We've had amazing speeches about mental health, about sexual abuse, about the environment, about the economy, about all of these issues that actually matter to New Zealanders." He said the Youth MPs should acknowledge other people's opinions, and move forward together. Elite Reti, Peeni Henare's Youth MP, said he hoped young people would continue to have their say. "I think the main message on this Youth Parliament is that we have opinions. We're all going to disagree on certain things. Maybe we'll agree on other things, some fundamental things," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
44 minutes ago
- Scoop
City And Regional Deals Reflect ACT Policy Years In The Making
ACT MP Simon Court has welcomed today's announcement of the Government's expectations for City and Regional Deals and the signing of the first agreements to begin negotiations with three regions. 'For years ACT has championed the idea of genuine partnerships between central and local government to make sure important infrastructure actually gets built,' says Mr Court. 'Today's announcement puts that idea firmly into practice. By setting clear objectives for City and Regional Deals, the Government is taking a disciplined approach to solving New Zealand's infrastructure deficit without simply writing blank cheques from the taxpayer. 'These deals will mean local and central government can agree on joint priorities like enabling more housing, unlocking regional economic growth, and delivering better infrastructure. This is exactly the kind of long-term thinking that has been missing for too long in New Zealand. 'Before the 2020 election, ACT called for city and regional partnerships so infrastructure investment would be long term, coordinated between central and local government, and subject to robust cost-benefit analysis. That idea is now Government policy – straight from our Coalition Agreement. 'ACT has plenty more great ideas in this space, including sharing a portion of GST on new builds with councils – an ACT policy that our coalition partners have committed to explore. It would incentivise growth and development to occur while ensuring the infrastructure to support it can be funded properly. 'This is a great example of how ACT is making the Government better. We're delivering results for taxpayers and ratepayers who want value for money, certainty, and infrastructure that supports more housing, more jobs, and a stronger economy
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Tamatha Paul Gives Shoplifting The Green Light
Green MP Tamatha Paul is giving shoplifting the green light as she opposes the Government's plan to strengthen penalties, National Party Spokesperson for Justice Paul Goldsmith says. 'The Greens are singing from the same old song sheet, making excuses for anyone who attacks or steals from hard working New Zealanders.' Yesterday Ms Paul said, 'if people don't have enough money to buy food, then they're going to look towards shoplifting things.' 'That seems to be okay with her and the Green Party. Does Labour agree?' Mr Goldsmith says. 'Kiwis need to remember that Labour and the Greens joined forces to vote against tougher sentences for violent criminals, reinstating Three Strikes, banning gang patches and giving Police the power to conduct warrantless searches on gang members. We can only assume this week will be the status quo. 'This Government is making significant progress on restoring law and order. Violent crime is down and Kiwis can feel safer in their homes and communities. A Labour-Greens government would put all of that at risk.'
