Thai court ousts PM Paetongtarn over ethics breach

Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled to dismiss prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday, after finding her guilty of violating the constitution during a controversial leaked phone call between her and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen.

Deputy Premier Phumtham Wechayachai and the current cabinet will oversee the government in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister is elected by the House of Representatives, which could be as soon as next week.

A panel of judges on the Constitutional Court agreed, by a vote of six to three, to strip Paetongtarn of her premiership status, as her actions constituted a serious violation of ethical standards. The court also dismissed her cabinet, but the remaining members will be allowed to continue caretaker duties.

Paetongtarn was suspended from her duties as prime minister on July 1, pending a ruling on an ethics complaint stemming from her divisive handling of a border dispute with Cambodia. Tensions between the neighbors had mounted after soldiers from both countries briefly exchanged gunfire in a disputed border area in June.

A subsequently leaked audio recording revealed that Paetongtarn made a private call to Hun Sen to discuss how to ease bilateral tension, in which she referred to a Thai army commander as an equivalent to "opponent".

The clip led to a petition from 36 senators to the Constitutional Court of Thailand, in which the senators requested that the court suspend Paetongtarn from her role as prime minister. They claimed her remarks showed a lack of responsibility, and the clip raised serious concerns over Thai sovereignty, the military and the people.

The Supreme Court on Friday stated that Paetongtarn had violated the ethical standards that a prime minister is subject to.

It also stated that the prime minister prioritized her personal interests over national interests during the call.

Paetongtarn became the country's youngest-ever prime minister after she was elected last August as Thailand's 31st prime minister.

The 39-year-old Pheu Thai Party leader is the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, also served as prime minister between 2011 and 2014.

After being found guilty, Paetongtarn becomes the third member of the Shinawatra family to be removed from office.

For the upcoming election, potential candidates include Chaikasem Nitisiri from Pheu Thai; Prayut Chan-o-cha, a privy councillor and former prime minister; Pirapan Salirathavibhaga of the United Thai Nation Party; Jurin Laksanawisit of the Democrat Party; and Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, or BJT.

"Appointing a new prime minister… will be difficult and may take considerable time," said Stithorn Thananithichot, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University. "It's not easy for all parties to align their interests. Pheu Thai will be at a disadvantage."