Thai Court Suspends Prime Minister Paetongtarn After Leaked Call Stirs Political Crisis
BANGKOK — Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following public backlash over a leaked phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The decision intensifies pressure on the embattled government and deepens instability in the ruling coalition.
The court voted 7–2 to suspend Paetongtarn while it reviews a petition calling for her removal. She now has 15 days to submit a defense. In the interim, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit has assumed leadership.
The phone call at the center of the controversy surfaced online last week. In the clip, Paetongtarn refers to Hun Sen as “uncle” and criticizes a Thai military commander by name. The remarks, viewed by critics as undermining the armed forces, prompted swift political backlash and a formal petition seeking her dismissal.
This marks the third time a member of the Shinawatra family has been removed from Thailand’s highest office. The influential political dynasty, led by Paetongtarn’s father Thaksin and aunt Yingluck, has long shaped Thai politics but also faced repeated ousters and legal challenges.
Paetongtarn’s hold on power was already shaky. Two weeks ago, a conservative party abandoned the ruling coalition, leaving her with a razor-thin majority in parliament. The Pheu Thai party, which she leads, also lost its previous prime minister in August 2024 when Srettha Thavisin was removed over a controversial cabinet appointment.
The 38-year-old prime minister, Thailand’s youngest and only the second woman to hold the position, issued a public apology for the phone call. She described it as a “negotiation technique” aimed at addressing ongoing border tensions with Cambodia. But opponents accused her of compromising national interests.
Public opinion has turned sharply against her. A new poll shows her approval rating has plummeted to 9.2%, down from 30.9% in March.
Adding to the turmoil, her father Thaksin Shinawatra is now on trial in Bangkok on charges of insulting the monarchy. The case stems from a 2015 interview he gave to a South Korean outlet. His return from 15 years in self-imposed exile in 2023 followed what many viewed as a political deal between Pheu Thai and the country’s powerful conservative establishment.
Thaksin, a polarizing figure in Thai politics, has denied wrongdoing. He is the highest-profile individual currently facing charges under Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté law.
The Shinawatra family has endured two coups, court-ordered removals, and long-standing rivalry with military-aligned groups and royalist factions. Paetongtarn’s suspension now raises fresh questions about the future of the party and its ability to govern.
If the court rules in favor of her removal, Pheu Thai will need to nominate a new candidate to lead the coalition or risk collapse and fresh elections.
No date has been set for the court’s final ruling.
