The Constitutional Court removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office as Thailand’s prime minister today, after finding her guilty of committing gross ethical misconduct during a conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen over a deadly border clash between the two countries.
The ruling means her entire Cabinet is also removed from office.
The Court said her comments breached the ethical standards expected of a sitting prime minister and constituted a misuse of power.
Her premiership practically ended on July 1, when the charter court ordered her suspension from duty, pending the outcome of its investigation
Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, became Thailand’s youngest person and only the second woman to hold the post, after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.
She was sworn in last year, following royal endorsement, on August 18th and became the third member of the Shinawatra family to lead the country.
A group of 36 senators petitioned the Constitutional Court, seeking a review of the content of her recorded conversation with Hun Sen, claiming that what she said amounted to gross ethical misconduct and dishonesty.
The conversation, leaked by Hun Sen’s side, starts with the two leaders exchanging pleasantries about their health, before discussing the border dispute, which has strained relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
Speaking through a translator, Paetongtarn said she and Hun Sen shared the same desire for peace between their countries.
Calling Hun Sen “uncle,” she urged him not to heed criticism from "opponents," specifically referring to the commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region.
“After hearing what he said, I don’t want you to be upset or frustrated because, actually, it is not our intention,” she said, adding “He can do everything to make himself look smart, but what he said wasn’t beneficial to the nation.”
She was referring to Lt. Gen. Boonsin Padklang, who commands Thailand’s northeastern region.
Public outrage intensified after she was heard asking Hun Sen to tell her what he wanted, and that she was willing to do anything he asked.
After the clip went viral, Paetongtarn defended herself at a press briefing, saying she was using an “off-the-record approach in a private conversation” to de-escalate tensions.
“The technique should not have been revealed,” she said. “I feel that I have the goal to maintain national peace… I used soft words,” she added, noting that she normally referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” in private conversations.
She explained that it was a private phone call, aimed at maintaining peace and protecting Thailand’s sovereignty.
In her defense, she argued that her actions did not damage the dignity of her office and that the conversation contained no suggestion of trading Thailand’s interests for those of a foreign power.
She also claimed that her intention was to prompt the Cambodian side to reveal their expectations first, employing a question-based, interest-led negotiation strategy to resolve the conflict.
