Thailand’s Constitutional Court permanently removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister on Aug. 29, ruling that she violated constitutional ethics rules during a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.
The Constitutional Court’s ruling meant 39-year-old Paetongtarn—whose deputy, Phumtham Wechayachai, is serving as acting prime minister—was dismissed effective immediately.
During the call, Paetongtarn—whose father, Thaksin Shinawatra, is a former prime minister—criticized a Thai army commander and referred to Hun Sen as “uncle.”
Hun Sen’s son, Hun Manet, is the current Cambodian prime minister.
The phone call followed an incident on May 28 in which a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief exchange of gunfire with Thai troops at a disputed border area between the two countries.
The incident happened between Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani Province.
Referring to an unnamed Thai general, Paetongtarn told Hun Sen, through a translator, “He just wants to look cool and say things that are not useful to the nation, but in truth, what we want is peace.”
Paetongtarn later apologized for what she said but rejected calls for her to resign or dissolve parliament.
Hun Sen leaked the phone call on Facebook, and on June 18, Paetongtarn said, “I won’t be talking privately with [Hun Sen] anymore because there is a trust problem.”
Border Conflict With Cambodia
Fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops flared up again along the border on July 24. An unconditional cease-fire was agreed on July 28.Before the Constitutional Court announced her suspension on July 1, the Bhumjaithai Party had threatened to file a motion of no confidence against Paetongtarn and her Cabinet.
The Thai parliament now has to find a new prime minister to replace Paetongtarn and lead a coalition government. If this cannot be done, it may lead to fresh elections.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, and the royal family is protected by strict lèse-majesté laws.
King Bhumibol—who was the world’s longest reigning monarch—died in 2016, aged 88, a year after the interview Shinawatra gave with a television station in South Korea.
During the last election in May 2023, the Pheu Thai Party won 141 seats in parliament, fewer than the Move Forward Party, which was unable to form a coalition government.
In Aug. 2024, Move Forward was dissolved by the Constitutional Court, and its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, and several others were banned from politics for 10 years.
Shinawatra Political Dynasty
Paetongtarn is the third prime minister from the Shinawatra family.Thaksin, a telecom billionaire, first came to power in 2001 after his Thai Rak Thai Party won elections, garnering significant support from the poorer north and northeast of Thailand.
Thaksin led Thailand until he was ousted by a military coup in 2006. He then went into exile.
After the military restored democracy in 2011, Paetongtarn’s aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, was elected Thailand’s first female prime minister.
She was removed by a Constitutional Court ruling in May 2014, and a few weeks later, another military coup suspended the democratic process.
Democracy was restored in 2019, and in May 2024, Paetongtarn became prime minister at the head of a coalition.
In 2022, while campaigning, Paetongtarn said, “I am my dad’s daughter, always and forever, but I have my own decisions.”
