• In case ruling Pheu Thai Party fails to elect new premier, Southeast Asian nation could move towards snap election

ISTANBUL

Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Friday removed from office suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after finding her guilty of an ethics violation.

The entire Cabinet has also been dismissed.

The top court last month accepted charges against Paetongtarn over her phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen for deliberation and suspended her from duty as prime minister.

A group of 36 senators had filed the charges – accepted by all nine members of the court – accusing her of "gross ethical misconduct and dishonesty" in connection with the call, which discussed the border dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors.

During the phone call, the sacked Thai premier is heard criticizing her country’s military, specifically the 2nd Army Region commander, over escalating border tensions with Cambodia.

Phumtham Wechayachai has been serving as acting premier since last month and will continue as caretaker chief executive until Paetongtarn's successor is elected.

Paetongtarn becomes the fifth Thai premier in 17 years who has been removed by judicial intervention.

If the ruling Pheu Thai Party fails to gain the required numbers to elect a new premier, the Southeast Asian country could move towards a snap election.

Paetongtarn, 38, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected Thailand's youngest and only second woman prime minister in August last year.

She was the 31st premier of the Southeast Asian nation, and was serving as culture minister since being suspended from office.

According to the English translation of the court verdict released by the Khaosod news outlet, Paetongtarn's saying to Hun that the Second Army Region Commander Lt. Gen. Boonsin Padklang “is on the opposite side of her demonstrated the weakness of domestic [Thai] politics.”

Paetongtarn made “an open-ended concession to Hun Sen and will benefit Hun Sen without considering Thai national security in an attempt to salvage her popularity, thus placing her personal benefits above national benefits,” the court noted.

The border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand peaked last month with airstrikes and rocket launches, resulting in dozens of deaths among civilians as well as armed forces on both sides of the border.

However, the two sides later agreed to an unconditional ceasefire, which remains in place.