Thailand’s constitutional court on Friday removed suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling that a leaked phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen violated ethics rules.
Paetongtarn, daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the youngest leader in Thai history, took office in August 2024, but has served just one year.
The case centred on a June 15 call, held during heightened tensions on the Thai-Cambodian border, in which Paetongtarn addressed Hun Sen as “uncle” and appeared to criticise Thailand’s military response to clashes that left a Cambodian soldier dead. She was also heard saying, “If you want anything, just tell me, and I will take care of it.”
The recording, authenticated by both sides, provoked a backlash in Thailand, where nationalist sentiment was already in a flow following the dispute. Critics accused her of undermining national security and showing loyalty to a foreign leader.
Weeks after the call, Thai and Cambodian forces fought a five-day conflict that killed at least 38 people, mostly civilians, and displaced hundreds of thousands.Paetongtarn later apologised, saying her remarks were part of a strategy to ease tensions rather than a concession of Thai interests.
On July 1, the court suspended her prime ministerial duties pending its ruling. She continued to serve in the cabinet as culture minister following a reshuffle.
Friday’s ruling marks the latest episode in Thailand’s long-running political struggle, where leaders aligned with the Shinawatra family have repeatedly clashed with the country’s entrenched military-royalist establishment.
The decision also comes shortly after her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, narrowly avoided a prison sentence when a lese-majeste case against him was dismissed last week.