BANGKOK, Jul 1 (Alliance News): Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office on Tuesday by the country’s Constitutional Court, which opened a formal probe into her conduct during a diplomatic spat with Cambodia.
The court’s decision marks a major setback for the 38-year-old leader, less than a year into her premiership.
The court, by a 7-2 majority, ruled that Paetongtarn would be suspended from her duties pending a final verdict on whether she breached constitutional ethics during her handling of escalating border tensions with Cambodia that led to deadly clashes in May.
At the heart of the controversy is a leaked audio recording in which Paetongtarn referred to Cambodian former Prime Minister Hun Sen as “uncle” during a tense call, while describing a senior Thai military commander as her “opponent.”
The recording sparked public outrage and led conservative lawmakers to accuse her of “undermining the military” and failing to uphold ministerial integrity.
“The Constitutional Court with a majority of 7-2 suspends the respondent from Prime Ministerial duty from July 1 until the Constitutional Court has made its ruling,” the court said in its official statement.
The suspension came on the same day Paetongtarn’s father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, appeared in a Bangkok criminal court to face lese majesty charges — a highly sensitive issue in Thailand’s political and legal system.
The case stems from a 2015 interview he gave to South Korean media, and if convicted, Thaksin could face up to 15 years in prison.
While Thaksin’s lawyer described him as “chill,” analysts say the two events are closely linked. “There is a direct undeniable linkage between the two cases,” said political expert Thitinan Pongsudhirak. “The Shinawatra brand is facing a critical dilution.”
The twin legal blows also come as Paetongtarn’s ruling Pheu Thai party reels from political fallout. A key conservative coalition partner has withdrawn support, and large-scale protests erupted in Bangkok over the weekend demanding her resignation.
Despite the turmoil, King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved a cabinet reshuffle earlier on Tuesday, which included Paetongtarn assigning herself the role of Culture Minister. However, her eligibility to assume that role remains in question due to her suspension.
The Shinawatra family — long a dominant force in Thai politics — remains a divisive name among Thailand’s conservative elite, military leadership, and royalist circles.
The latest developments underscore the fragility of Paetongtarn’s leadership and may mark a turning point in Thailand’s already volatile political landscape.
