Political upheaval re-emerges in Thailand. On July 1, the Constitutional Court of Thailand officially announced that it had accepted a complaint accusing the current Prime Minister, Paetongtan, of unconstitutional actions, and made a decision: to suspend her duties as Prime Minister during the trial of the case. This decision not only puts the Thaksin family back in the spotlight but also fills the Thai political scene with uncertainty once again.
On the same day, the Thai Government Gazette website published a significant announcement: a cabinet reshuffle signed by Paetongtan was approved by the King. The reshuffle involves more than 10 key position adjustments, including Paetongtan herself taking on the role of Minister of Culture, while the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Pootan, was reassigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. Other adjustments include the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, and Higher Education, among others. These personnel changes were originally intended to fill the vacancies left by the Proud Thai Party's withdrawal from the ruling coalition.
The catalyst for the storm was a leaked phone recording. In mid-June, a conversation about the Thai-Cambodian border situation between Paetongtan and the former Prime Minister of Cambodia, now President of the Senate, Hun Sen, was leaked online, raising doubts about whether Paetongtan had leaked state secrets. The opposition reacted swiftly, and the Proud Thai Party in the ruling coalition immediately announced a "breakup," with its leader, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin leading all cabinet members to resign collectively, leaving Paetongtan's government politically isolated.
This recording incident further evolved into a constitutional crisis. Several members of the Senate submitted complaints to the Constitutional Court, requesting an investigation into whether Paetongtan violated the constitution, especially in terms of authority over foreign affairs and national security. The Constitutional Court responded quickly on July 1, accepting the case and deciding to suspend Paetongtan's prime ministerial functions until the verdict is announced.
Paetongtan, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin, became the new Prime Minister of Thailand through the general election in August 2024, seen as a symbol of the political "restoration" of the Thaksin family. However, her administration, less than a year old, fell into difficulty due to diplomatic controversies and the dissolution of the ruling coalition, once again highlighting the complex attitudes and deep fissures towards the Thaksin family in Thai politics.
This coup-like political shake-up also highlights the strong checks and balances of the courts on government power within the Thai constitutional system. It is still unclear whether Paetongtan will continue to hold the position of Prime Minister or end her term early. However, it is foreseeable that the Thai political situation will remain turbulent until the final verdict of the Constitutional Court is issued, and the fate of the Thaksin family remains undecided.
