Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who has come under mounting pressure to resign over her leaked phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen
The clip, in which Paetongtarn called him “uncle” and criticised a Thai military commander, sparked public anger and a petition for her dismissal, which the court is now considering.
That would make Paetongtarn the third politician in the powerful Shinawatra clan – which has dominated Thai politics for the past two decades – to lose power before completing their term.
Her ruling coalition is already teetering with a slim majority after a key conservative ally abandoned it two weeks ago.
The Constitutional Court voted 7-2 to suspend her while they consider the case for her dismissal and she has 15 days to present her defence.
In the meantime deputy PM Suriya Jungrungruangkit will serve as the country’s acting leader.
If she is eventually dismissed, Paetongtarn will be the second prime minister from the Pheu Thai party to be removed from premiership since August last year.
The 38-year-old remains Thailand’s youngest leader and only the second woman to be PM after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.
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They set her up