Thai court removes PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office over ethics breach, adding to list of family members ousted from power

Critics argued her remarks undermined national interests at a time of escalating border tensions.

Paetongtarn later apologised for her remarks, saying her intention had been to reduce tensions and avert war.

The ruling ends Paetongtarn’s premiership prematurely, little more than a year after she replaced Srettha Thavisin, who had also been dismissed by the Constitutional Court. Her removal leaves parliament to elect a new prime minister, but analysts warn the process could be protracted.

Her Pheu Thai party, already weakened after losing coalition partners following the phone call controversy, faces an uphill battle to hold together a fragile majority.

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and the current cabinet will run the government in a caretaker capacity until a new leader is chosen. According to Reuters, five people are eligible to become prime minister.

The only candidate from Pheu Thai is 77-year-old Chaikasem Nitisiri, a former attorney general with limited political visibility. Other names include former coup leader and premier Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has formally retired from politics, and Anutin Charnvirakul, a deputy premier who recently withdrew his party from Paetongtarn’s coalition.

(With inputs from Reuters)