The Constitutional Court of Thailand has temporarily suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office due to a leaked recording of her phone conversation with the former leader of Cambodia, in which she criticized a Thai military commander. While the case is being heard, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit will serve as acting head of government, UNN reports with reference to BBC.
Details
The Constitutional Court of Thailand has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office. The official is currently facing increasing pressure to resign due to a leaked phone conversation with Cambodia's former leader, Hun Sen, in which she called him "uncle" and criticized a Thai military commander. The court is currently considering a petition for her dismissal.
If Shinawatra is officially removed, she will become the third representative of the Shinawatra political dynasty (which has played an important role in Thai politics for over 20 years) to lose power before the end of their term. Her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was dismissed due to a scandalous appointment to the government of a person who had served a prison sentence.
The court decided to temporarily suspend Paetongtarn by a vote of 7 to 2. She apologized for what she said during the conversation, calling it a "negotiation method." But conservative lawmakers accused her of concessions to Cambodia and undermining Thailand's military capabilities. Paetongtarn's approval rating last weekend fell to 9.2% from 30.9% in March.
Currently, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit will serve as acting head of government.
Addition
Paetongtarn, the daughter of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, took office just days after her father faced political problems. Thaksin Shinawatra is on trial for insulting the monarchy. The reason was a nine-year-old interview for a South Korean newspaper.
At 38, she became the youngest prime minister in Thailand's history and only the second woman to hold the position after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.