- Thai Constitutional Court removes Prime Minister Srettha
Thailand in Political Turmoil: Thailand's Constitutional Court in Bangkok has removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office following a lawsuit brought by dozens of senators. In a vote of five to four, the judges ruled on Wednesday for the 62-year-old's removal. The verdict, which was eagerly awaited across the country, came as a surprise to many political observers.
Court Accuses Srettha of Lack of Honesty
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.
The court ruled that Srettha must have known about Pichit's conviction when he appointed him to his cabinet. The prime minister showed "no honesty" in the minister's appointment.
Srettha, according to political observers, argued in his defense that the appointment of Pichit was lawful, among other things, because he had previously sought legal advice. However, the court decided that the prime minister had violated ethical rules.
Srettha did not attend the verdict announcement, instead attending 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, though he had hoped for a different outcome. He also expressed hope that Thailand would remain politically stable.
Srettha was unpopular among the population: A June survey found that most Thais were dissatisfied with his government's performance, citing the country's weak economic performance and high household debt.
What's Next for Thailand?
First, an interim government will be formed, likely led by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, as reported by the Bangkok Post. Then, the parliament must quickly elect a new prime minister. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, chairman of the Bhumjaithai Party, and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, are mentioned as possible successors.
The 37-year-old Paetongtarn is the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been in self-imposed exile since 2008. Thaksin returned to Thailand last August and also faces legal troubles, having been charged with lese-majesty in June.
Thailand is once again in politically turbulent times, with a history of coups, military governments, and street protests by the democracy movement in recent decades. Just last week, the Constitutional Court, under pressure from conservative forces, ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) for allegedly threatening the monarchy with its proposed reforms to the lese-majesty law. The party's former top candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, and other leading members are barred from holding political office for the next ten years.
Move Forward won the May 2023 parliamentary election convincingly but still did not gain power. After months of political turmoil, the leading candidate, Pita, was eventually sidelined by the former coalition partner, Pheu Thai, and their candidate, Srettha. The former real estate tycoon was elected prime minister in August last year and has been in office since September. The search for a viable prime minister with a majority is now starting all over again.
The Constitutional Court's decision to dissolve the Move Forward Party last week, under pressure from conservative forces, has compounded Thailand's political instability. This comes after the Court removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office due to allegations of lack of honesty in appointing a minister with a criminal record.
