Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand’s Constitutional Court has formally dismissed suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling that she committed serious ethical misconduct during a phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.
In a unanimous decision delivered on Friday, the nine-judge panel found that Paetongtarn, 39, violated the ethical standards expected of her office by prioritizing personal relationships over national interest in her handling of a sensitive border dispute.
The court concluded that her remarks — including calling Hun Sen “uncle” and referring to a senior Thai army commander as an “opponent” — displayed a lack of “honesty and integrity.” The leaked conversation, which took place in June, contributed to a rapid escalation in cross-border tensions that led to deadly clashes and mass displacement. A ceasefire, brokered by Malaysia, was reached on July 29.
Paetongtarn had been suspended from office since July 1 pending the outcome of the trial. Her dismissal marks the fifth time since 2008 that Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ousted a sitting prime minister.
This ruling is one of three ongoing legal battles facing the Shinawatra political dynasty. Her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was recently acquitted of royal defamation charges but still faces scrutiny over preferential treatment during his 2023 return from exile, when he served time in a hospital rather than prison for prior corruption convictions.
Friday’s verdict casts further uncertainty over the political future of the influential Shinawatra family and the direction of Thai politics ahead of potential new elections.
