Thailand’s Unseated PM Paetongtarn Contests Ethics Ruling

(MENAFN) Thailand’s former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has formally contested the top court’s ruling that led to her removal from office, filing a legal petition on Tuesday that questions the legitimacy of the judicial process behind the decision, according to media.

Her legal team argued that the proceedings leading to her suspension were "allegedly unlawful," referencing the Constitutional Court’s narrow 6-3 decision on August 29. The appeal came the same day Sarawut Songsivilai was appointed as a new judge to the bench, a move the defense claims could have influenced the case.

In their petition, Paetongtarn’s lawyers asked the court to invalidate the ruling and reopen the case for review under constitutional law.

However, the court maintained that Sarawut’s appointment did not influence the outcome, emphasizing that he was not yet authorized to participate in the ruling.

The case stems from a controversial phone conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, during which she criticized Thailand’s 2nd Army Region commander amid escalating border tensions. The court ruled this exchange breached ethical standards required of her office.

Paetongtarn had already been suspended from her role last month while the court evaluated the allegations.

Her removal has deepened political uncertainty in Thailand, a country with a long history of friction between elected governments and the judiciary, dating back to the 2006 ousting of her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

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