A Thai court permanently removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday, in a major setback to a powerful family that also plunged the nation into fresh political turmoil.
The verdict from the Constitutional Court in Bangkok came nearly two months after it had suspended Ms. Paetongtarn over charges stemming from a conversation she had with the Cambodian leader Hun Sen, which fueled anger when it became public because it raised questions about her competence and loyalty.
On Friday, the court found her guilty of breaching ethical standards. Her dismissal from office was effective immediately and the court also dissolved her cabinet. Thailand’s Parliament is expected to convene soon to begin the process of selecting the next prime minister.
Ms. Paetongtarn, 39, is the latest politician to be removed by what analysts say are the machinations of the unelected royalist-military establishment.
She is the third member of her family to be ousted from the prime minister’s post. Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted in a coup in 2006 soon after he was re-elected to a second term. Her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra was removed by the Constitutional Court in 2014 weeks before another coup.
But unlike the episodes involving the elder Shinawatras, widespread protests are not expected this time. That is because the family patriarch, Mr. Thaksin, 76, no longer commands the public support he once did.
Thailand’s last election, in 2023, was the first this century in which a party linked to Mr. Thaksin did not win the most votes. Instead, a new, progressive party called the Move Forward Party prevailed.
The country’s royalist-military establishment blocked Move Forward from forming the government, appearing to forge an alliance with an old foe, Mr. Thaksin. That allowed Mr. Thaksin to make a stunning return to Thailand after years of self exile. But to many Thais, it was evidence of his role in rejecting the people’s choice. In the following months, Move Forward was disbanded by the Constitutional Court, and Ms. Paetongtarn eventually ascended to the prime minister’s office.
On June 15, she and Mr. Hun Sen spoke on the phone about a tense border dispute, which later in the summer exploded into deadly clashes.
Soon after the call, Mr. Hun Sen posted a recording of the discussion on social media. In it, Ms. Paetongtarn addressed Mr. Hun Sen as “uncle,” appearing to be deferential to him and critical of Thailand’s military.
That prompted 36 senators to file a complaint against her, saying that she had made ethical breaches in her call with Mr. Hun Sen, who had been friendly with Mr. Thaksin for decades. Mr. Thaksin’s opponents have long zeroed in on his relationship with the Cambodian leader to say that he is intent on selling out Thailand for Cambodia’s gain.
Demonstrations then broke out in Thailand, with protesters calling for Ms. Paetongtarn’s resignation.
The next prime minister has to be chosen by Parliament, which can only pick from candidates who ran in the 2023 election. One of the main contenders, analysts say, is Chaikasem Nitisiri, 77, a former attorney general and justice minister. As a senior member of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, his candidacy would be a way for Mr. Thaksin to continue to exert his influence.
Friday’s ruling was one of a string of legal hurdles for the Shinawatras. Last week, Mr. Thaksin avoided prison time when a court dismissed a royal defamation charge. Next month, a court is expected to rule on whether he lawfully avoided jail time — he had been convicted on charges of corruption and abuse of power — when he returned to Thailand.
Kittiphum Sringammuang and Muktita Suhartono contributed reporting.
Sui-Lee Wee is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for The Times, overseeing coverage of 11 countries in the region.
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