Thai Constitutional Court Suspends Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra Amid Ethics Probe

Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her duties, pending the outcome of an investigation into her conduct in a diplomatic dispute with Cambodia.

In a statement, the court announced, “The Constitutional Court, by a majority vote of 7 to 2, suspends the respondent from her position as Prime Minister effective July 1, until the court delivers its ruling.” The decision follows a complaint filed by several conservative members of the Senate accusing Paetongtarn of violating ministerial ethics amid a long-standing territorial dispute with Cambodia.

The decades-old land dispute escalated into a cross-border clash in May, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier.

Controversy erupted after a leaked recording revealed Paetongtarn referring to former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as “uncle” during a phone call to discuss the tensions, while describing a Thai military commander as “her rival.” The call sparked widespread criticism.

Conservative lawmakers have accused her of yielding to Cambodia, undermining the Thai military, and violating constitutional clauses requiring “clear integrity” and “ethical standards” from government ministers.