Sofia Barruti
(CNN) — Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been removed from office after a court ruled he had violated the constitution, in a shock decision that plunges the kingdom into deeper political uncertainty.
The verdict comes a week after the same court dissolved the popular progressive party Move Forward, which won the most seats in last year’s election, and banned its leaders from politics for 10 years.
Bangkok’s Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that Srettha, a property tycoon and relative newcomer to politics, had violated ethics rules by appointing a lawyer who had served a prison sentence to the Cabinet.
Five of the nine judges on the court voted to dismiss Srettha and his Cabinet, ruling that the prime minister was “well aware that he had appointed a person who seriously lacked moral integrity”.
A new government must now be formed, with the ruling coalition led by Pheu Thai set to appoint a new prime ministerial candidate, who will be voted on by the 500-seat parliament.
The verdict is a fresh shake-up in Thailand’s already turbulent political landscape, where supporters of change have often clashed with the establishment, a small but powerful clique of military, royalist and business elites.
Over the past two decades, dozens of lawmakers have been disqualified, parties have been dissolved and prime ministers have been ousted in coups or by court decisions, with the judiciary playing a central role in the ongoing power struggle.
Srettha’s appointment as prime minister last August ended three months of political deadlock following the 2023 election but led to his Pheu Thai party entering into a governing coalition with its long-time military rivals.
The suit against Srettha was filed in May by a group of 40 military-appointed former senators seeking to oust him over his appointment to the Cabinet of Pichit Chuenban, a close associate of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Pichit was jailed for six months in 2008 for contempt of court after trying to bribe Supreme Court officials in a land case involving Thaksin.
Srettha has denied wrongdoing and said Pichit, who has since resigned, was properly investigated and the party followed proper procedures.
Srettha’s popularity has waned in recent months, according to polls, due to opposition and delays to his major economic policies.
But Wednesday’s ruling surprised political analysts, who had expected the court to side with the prime minister.
Srettha’s priority since taking office has been to fix the country’s sluggish economy.
The ousted leader had touted a 500 billion baht ($13.8 billion) donation scheme through digital wallets that he said would create jobs and boost spending in underdeveloped regions. The scheme has yet to be implemented.
Srettha also set out a goal for Thailand to attract more foreign investment and become a global tourism hub, expanding visa-free policies and announcing plans to host major events in a bid to boost the economy.
Pheu Thai and the ruling class
The populist Pheu Thai party is the latest incarnation of parties aligned with former leader Thaksin, who was ousted by the military in a coup in 2005.
Thaksin, a telecommunications billionaire and former owner of Manchester City football club, is the head of a notorious political dynasty that has played a prominent role in Thai politics for the past two decades.
His dramatic return from a self-imposed 15-year exile last year coincided with the Senate’s vote to name Srettha the country’s 30th prime minister.
That vote secured Pheu Thai as head of a multi-party coalition. Move Forward, which won a surprise election victory in May 2023 with its popular reform programme, was forced into opposition.
The coalition had proposed sweeping reforms to take advantage of growing discontent with Thailand’s way of being governed, including amendments to lese majeste laws that criminalise insults to senior members of the royal family.
In July 2023, conservative senators blocked Move Forward from forming a government over its reform drive. And last week, the Constitutional Court accused the party of “undermining the monarchy” and ordered it dissolved, dealing a major blow to the vibrant progressive movement. Former members have since reconstituted the party under a new name.
With Srettha out of power, political negotiations will resume, with coalition partners jockeying for Cabinet posts and the top spot.
Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s youngest daughter, is said to be among the possible candidates for prime minister.
This news is in development and will be updated soon.
