The Constitutional Court of Thailand has reached a verdict in the high-profile ethics case against Paetongtarn Shinawatra, ruling to dismiss her from the post of prime minister after reviewing an audio recording of a conversation with Cambodia’s Hun Sen.
In its decision, the court found that Paetongtarn failed to demonstrate the qualities of strong leadership, adding that her exchange with Hun Sen did not exhibit the negotiation skills she had claimed.
As a result, the court judged that Paetongtarn had not upheld the ethical standards expected of the country’s leader. The court’s decision also entails the dissolution of the entire cabinet following Paetongtarn’s removal.
Following the verdict, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and the current cabinet will serve in a caretaker capacity. The transition comes as the country faces a pivotal moment, with the lower house now tasked to select a new leader from a slate of candidates, though the constitution does not set a deadline for the process.
According to parliamentary procedure, the house speaker must set a date for lawmakers to convene and vote on a new prime minister. Observers expect a decision within three to five days—potentially by next week—with the timeline including the weekend.
Among the governing bloc’s candidates are:
- Chaikasem Nitisiri of the Pheu Thai Party
- Former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from United Thai Nation Party
- Pirapan Salirathavibhaga from United Thai Nation Party
- Anutin Charnvirakul from Bhumjaithai Party.
- Jurin Laksanawisit from Democrat Party.
To move forward, each candidate must secure backing from at least 50 MPs to be placed on the ballot. The winning nominee must obtain more than half of the current 492 members of the lower house—at least 247 votes.
If no candidate secures the necessary majority, parliament will reconvene and repeat the process until a new prime minister is selected, with no time restriction imposed by the constitution.
The race for premiership comes at a volatile juncture, as the ruling coalition clings to a slim seven-seat majority. Any defections could upend the balance of power, posing a critical challenge for Pheu Thai and the Shinawatra dynasty’s grip on government.
