Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: AFP

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from her job while the court investigates her over a leaked phone call with a former Cambodian leader.

On Tuesday, July 1, the Constitutional Court judges decided to accept a petition accusing her of breaking ethics rules. The judges voted 7 to 2 to suspend her from duty during the investigation.

This issue started after a leaked phone call where Paetongtarn was discussing the recent border dispute with Cambodia. In May, there was an armed clash between Thai and Cambodian forces at the border, leading to the death of a Cambodian soldier. Many people in Thailand were unhappy with how Paetongtarn handled the situation.

The leaked phone call made things worse. People complained that her comments in the call showed she was trying too hard to please Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen instead of standing firm for Thailand. Her words about a strong regional army commander also caused anger among some groups.
Paetongtarn spoke on Monday before the court decision, saying she would accept and follow the court’s process, even though she did not want her work to be stopped.

Earlier on Tuesday, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn approved a Cabinet reshuffle. This change happened after the Bhumjaithai Party, a major partner in her government, left because of the leaked call. The reshuffle replaced former Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charvirakul, who is also the Bhumjaithai Party leader.

Besides the court case, Paetongtarn is facing another investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. If they find her guilty of breaking ethics rules, she could be removed from her job completely.

On Saturday, thousands of conservative and nationalist protesters gathered in central Bangkok. They were demanding that Paetongtarn resign from her post because they believed she failed to protect Thailand’s interests during the border dispute.

The situation remains tense as the court and anti-corruption investigations continue.