Thailand Constitution Court Removes Prime Minister for Controversial Phone Call

The Thailand Constitution Court has removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for a phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister and Senate President Hun Sen that sparked controversy. Thirty-six senators in Thailand accused Shinawatra of violating ethical norms for her phone call with Hun Sen. Based on the petition submitted by the senators, the Constitution Court decided to remove Shinawatra from office with a vote of 7 to 2.

“MY GOAL IS TO ENSURE PEACE BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES”

In the 17-minute leaked phone call between Shinawatra and Hun Sen, Paetongtarn Shinawatra is heard addressing Hun Sen as “uncle” and stating that she would remove a Thai military commander. Following this, the coalition government’s second largest partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, withdrew from the coalition stating that the phone call “jeopardized the sovereignty and security of the country and the Thai military.” The coalition government led by Shinawatra was on the brink of collapse.

As calls for resignation began, Shinawatra apologized and stated that her tone was a “negotiation tactic” and that her goal was to ensure peace between the two countries.

BORDER TENSION

Thailand and Cambodia, separated by 817 kilometers of border walls, have long been experiencing territorial disputes. Following the violation of the border agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, a brief conflict occurred in the region on May 28th, and the two countries’ armies agreed to resolve the issue peacefully. Thailand announced that all checkpoints along the Cambodia border would be controlled by the Bangkok administration. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that they had applied to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the border issues with Thailand.