Phai Thongsinghe Shinawatra is the second Pheu Thai Party Prime Minister to be disqualified from office by the Thai Constitutional Court after only 10 months and 15 days in office.
Phai Thongthan, who took office as Prime Minister on August 16, 2024, succeeding Sri Thaksin, who served for only 11 months and 23 days, has been disqualified since the Constitutional Court suspended her from office on July 1, and on August 29, it decided to remove her from office altogether.
According to a BBC report, the court ruled that The content of her controversial phone call with Cambodian Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen is a violation of Thai ethics.
In the history of political struggles in Thailand over the past 20 years, Phay Thongthan is known to be the fifth Thai leader to be removed from office by the Thai Constitutional Court since Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who was removed from office in a military coup in 2006, fought for power abroad until returning in 2023. .
Under the shadow of Thaksin’s rule, Thailand’s Constitutional Court has removed prime ministers from office, including Samak Sundaravej, who served from January to September 2008. Then Somchai Wongsawat from September to December 2008. Yingluck Shinawatra from August 2011 to May 2014. And then Mr. Srettha Thavisin from August 2023 to August 2024.
Ms. Phay Thongthan’s political career was suspended by six out of nine judges after 36 senators filed a complaint against her. After the verdict was announced, she acknowledged the court’s verdict but said that as a Thai, she would like to confirm her loyalty to the country.
Who will be Thailand’s leader after Phaythongthan is removed from office?
During this transition period, acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wichayachai will continue as caretaker Prime Minister, but Thailand must vote for a new Prime Minister, otherwise the parliament will be dissolved and new elections will be held. .
In the first stage, if the election were to select a prime minister from the parties with seats in parliament, the five candidates considered worthy were Chaikasem Nitisiri from the Pheu Thai Party, who is closely associated with Thaksin.
In addition, there is Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Phum Chai Thai Party. Former deputy prime minister and interior minister, he had a falling out with Pheu Thai and resigned from the ruling coalition after the leak of a conversation with Phay Thong Thanh, which led to his ouster. The next candidate is General Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former prime minister who retired from politics in 2023 but remains influential in the military-backed party. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Pirapan Salirathavibhaga from the Thai National Unity Party and Jurin Laksanawisit from the Conservative Democratic Party.
