Thailand’s Constitutional Court has dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after ruling she breached ethical standards in a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen.
The nine-member court voted six to three against Paetongtarn, concluding that her remarks suggested a personal alignment with Cambodian interests and cast doubt on her loyalty to Thailand’s national interest.
The June call, later released by Hun Sen himself, featured Paetongtarn referring to him as “uncle” and criticising the Thai military as tensions escalated along the border. Weeks later, clashes erupted, leaving dozens dead and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Paetongtarn defended her actions, saying she had sought only to avoid violence, but her critics argued she weakened the military and harmed Thailand’s reputation.
Her ouster marks another setback for the influential Shinawatra dynasty. She is the third family member forced from office: her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled in a 2006 coup, and her aunt Yingluck was removed by the Constitutional Court in 2014.
Paetongtarn’s political rise had been swift. She joined the Pheu Thai Party in 2021 and assumed office after former prime minister Srettha Thavisin was disqualified earlier this year. But her authority crumbled when coalition partner Bhumjaithai withdrew its support following the leaked call.
Parliament will now choose her successor from five registered candidates. Pheu Thai has nominated former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, 77, while Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul is also seen as a strong contender.
With Paetongtarn’s downfall, the once-dominant Shinawatra family faces fresh uncertainty over its future role in Thai politics.
