Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin Removed From Office By Constitutional Court
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been ousted from office following a court ruling that deemed him to have breached the constitution.
This unexpected decision throws the kingdom into deeper political turmoil.
The verdict comes on the heels of a similar ruling last week, where the same court disbanded the influential Move Forward Party, which secured the majority of seats in the previous year’s election, and imposed a 10-year political ban on its leaders.
Bangkok’s Constitutional Court made a landmark ruling on Wednesday, declaring that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a wealthy businessman and newcomer to politics, had violated ethical standards by appointing a convicted felon to his Cabinet.
In a 5-4 decision, the court found Srettha guilty of knowingly appointing an individual with questionable moral character, leading to his dismissal and that of his entire Cabinet.
As a result, a new government must be formed, with the ruling Pheu Thai-led coalition set to nominate a replacement candidate for prime minister, subject to approval by the 500-member parliament.
Following the Constitutional Court’s ruling, outgoing Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin acknowledged that he had done his best in his role and accepted the verdict, while talking to journalists.
However, he expressed uncertainty about whether his policies would be continued by the incoming government.
A group of 40 former senators, appointed by the military, initiated legal action against Srettha Thavisin in May, seeking his removal from office.
The complaint centered on Srettha’s appointment of Pichit Chuenban, a trusted associate of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to his Cabinet. This move ultimately led to the Constitutional Court’s decision to oust Srettha from his position.
Pichit, a close associate of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to six months in prison in 2008.
The conviction stemmed from his attempt to bribe Supreme Court officials in a high-profile land case involving Thaksin.
