The Constitutional Court shall dismiss the Prime Minister of Thailand
Today, Friday, the Constitutional Court in Thailand ruled the dismissal of Prime Minister Betongarn Chenatuatra and her entire government, after she saw that the way she dealt with a border dispute with Cambodia was harmed by national interests.
A leaked call toppled the Prime Minister
In its ruling, the court relied on a leaked phone call between Chinawatra and former Cambodia leader Hun Sen, who was considered evidence of its bias to the Cambodian side. The nine judges explained that their actions led to the loss of confidence and the presentation of personal interest in the national interest, which sparked widespread popular anger in Thailand.
The court had suspended the duties of Shinaawatra on July 1 after accepting her to consider the case, considering that her mandate had “actually ended” since then.
Details of the controversial call
The case dates back to a call that took place last June 15, aiming to calm tensions over a border dispute that killed a Cambodian soldier. But the leak of audio recording ignited anger in Thailand, where Shinawatra appeared addressing Hun Sen in a friendly manner and describing him as “uncle”, while she described a Thai military commander as her “opponent”, what her opponents considered an insult to the army and undermining his position.
Accusations of bias and damaging the army
Deputy Governors of the Prime Minister accused of submitting to Cambodia, damaging the interests of the army, and violating the constitution that stresses “clear integrity” and “moral standards”.
On the other hand, Chinaawatra confirmed that her intention was for the benefit of the Thai people, saying: “My intentions were for the sake of the country’s interest and not to achieve personal gains, but for the sake of people’s lives, including civilians and soldiers.”
A new judicial precedent
This ruling comes only one year after the court’s same decision to dismiss the former Prime Minister Srivisin in another ethical case, which reflects a state of repeated political turmoil in Thailand.
A temporary government until the selection of an alternative
Deputy Prime Minister FMTAMAMATAMASAI is scheduled to lead the caretaker government, until Parliament can choose a new prime minister who leads the country in the next stage.
The background of the border conflict
Fights erupted last July between Thailand and Cambodia, and the two parties exchanged accusations about the outbreak of clashes, in a border dispute that is the most violent between the two countries since 2011.
Later, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the two parties had reached an immediate and without conditions agreement, which contributed temporarily to calm the situation.
