Prime Minister of Thailand Srettha Thavisin removed from office
Thailand in Political Turmoil: Thailand's Constitutional Court in Bangkok has removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office following a lawsuit by dozens of senators. In a vote of five to four, the judges ruled in favor of removing the 62-year-old on Thursday afternoon (local time). The much-anticipated decision came as a surprise to many political observers.
The 40 senators accused Srettha of violating regulations by appointing politician Pichit Chuenban as a minister, as Pichit has a criminal record. Pichit was sentenced to six months in prison in 2008 for contempt of court in a corruption scandal. He had already resigned in May amid increasing legal pressure.
Srettha, according to political observers, argued in his defense that the appointment of Pichit was lawful, citing legal advice he had sought. However, the court ruled that the prime minister had violated ethical rules.
Srettha did not attend the court session, instead opting for other engagements. Observers noted that he had scheduled many appointments for the coming weeks and did not seem to expect the ruling. Speaking to journalists, he said he would accept the court's decision, despite hoping for a different outcome. He also expressed hope that Thailand would remain politically stable.
The prime minister chose to prioritize other engagements instead of attending the court session, indicating his unexpected absence. The opposition argued that Srettha's appointment of a minister with a criminal record was a clear violation of the 'Other' political norms and ethics.
