PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra Ousted — What’s Next for Thailand? | Explained

Thailand plunges into political turmoil after PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra is sacked by the Constitutional Court over a border row with Cambodia. Acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai takes charge as parliament scrambles to find a new leader.

Thailand lost another prime minister to a court ruling on Friday, as Paetongtarn Shinawatra was thrown out of office over her handling of a border row with Cambodia. The decision puts Thailand in political turmoil, with only an acting prime minister and no standout candidate to take over. Here's what to know about the kingdom's crisis, and what might come next.

What just happened?

The Constitutional Court ruled by six votes to three that Paetongtarn had failed to uphold the ethical standards required of a prime minister, sacking her and dissolving her cabinet.

The ruling came a year after the same court booted out her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, in an ethics case.

How did we get here?

The case hinged on a June phone call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Cambodia's longtime ruler, father of its current premier. He is also an old ally of her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was twice elected Thai prime minister and then kicked out in a military coup.

During the call, Paetongtarn and Hun Sen discussed the brewing row over the disputed Thai-Cambodian border.

Paetongtarn addressed Hun Sen as "uncle" and referred to a Thai military commander as her "opponent", sparking public outrage in Thailand, especially among pro-royalist, pro-military conservatives who have long hated the Shinawatras.

Conservative lawmakers accused her of denigrating the military and not standing up to Cambodia, while Paetongtarn's main coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai party, walked out in protest and almost collapsed her government.

She managed to hang on, but a group of senators brought a case to the Constitutional Court that ended with Friday's judgment.

What happens next?

The ruling leaves Thailand with an acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, and a caretaker cabinet. They will stay on until a new government is formed.

Parliament will vote on a new prime minister perhaps as early as next week, but there is no obvious replacement for Paetongtarn waiting to take over.

Under the constitution, only candidates nominated for prime minister at the last general election in 2023 are eligible.

Four of those names are out of the running, three of whom are banned by court order and one whose party failed to get enough MPs elected to qualify.

The remaining four include Prayut Chan-O-Cha, an ex-general who led a 2014 coup and served as prime minister until 2023, and Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul.

A weekend of intense backroom haggling lies ahead, as politicians thrash out who might cobble together enough votes in a deeply divided parliament to get themselves approved as prime minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)