Thailand's prime minister has been removed by the Constitutional Court, plunging the country's politics into turmoil and dealing a blow to its most powerful political dynasty.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was dismissed for violating ethics in a leaked June phone call, where she could be heard calling Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen uncle and criticising the Thai army, amid worsening border tensions with Cambodia.
The call, leaked by Hun Sen himself, damaged her reputation and critics accused her of undermining the country's army.
The ruling makes Paetongtarn, the daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the fifth prime minister to be removed from office by the court since 2008.
On Friday, the court's nine judges voted six to three against Paetongtarn, ruling that her actions had violated ethical standards expected of her office. The court stated that Paetongtarn possessed a personal relationship that appeared to align with Cambodia and dismissed her claims that the call was a personal negotiation to... bring back peace without using violence.
In a ruling, it said her actions caused the public to cast doubt on whether they were in the nation's best interest.
Paetongtarn acknowledged the court's verdict but insisted she was trying to save lives. Her call with Hun Sen came as tensions rose on the Thai-Cambodia border, resulting in a conflict that led to significant casualties and displacement.
Hours after her dismissal, her one-time coalition partner, the conservative Bhumjaithai party, announced they had enough support to form a new government under leader Anutin Charnvirakul.
The powerful Shinawatra family has led multiple Thai governments, and Paetongtarn's removal represents a significant setback for their political dynasty. She becomes the third member of her family to have their premiership cut short; her father Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006, and her aunt Yingluck was removed by the Constitutional Court in 2014.
Despite stepping away from formal politics, Thaksin's influence remains significant, but it's uncertain how the recent upheaval will affect the legacy of the Shinawatra name.
