Former Thai Premier Challenges Dismissal Over Ethics Case

2025-09-03 05:10:49

(MENAFN) Thailand's deposed Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, initiated a legal counteraction on Tuesday, questioning the legitimacy of a high court's ethics ruling that resulted in her removal from office.

The move marks her first formal legal response following her controversial suspension from the highest elected role in the Southeast Asian country.

According to a news agency, Paetongtarn’s legal representatives contended that the legal procedures surrounding her case were allegedly flawed.

The Constitutional Court had issued its verdict on August 29, with six judges favoring the decision and three opposing it.

Her legal team maintains that the ruling process was compromised and thus invalid.

The appeal was submitted shortly after the appointment of Sarawut Songsivilai as a new member of the top court — notably on the same date the verdict was delivered.

Paetongtarn’s defense argued that the appointment might have influenced the court's judgment, and they requested the court to nullify the ruling, proposing that the case undergo a proper constitutional review.

In response to the petition, the court clarified that Sarawut's nomination did not interfere with the final decision, emphasizing that he had not yet assumed his official responsibilities when the ruling was made.

The origin of Paetongtarn's removal lies in a phone conversation she had with Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

In the call, she made remarks criticizing the military’s 2nd Army Region commander amid ongoing tensions along the border.

The Constitutional Court determined that her actions breached the ethical expectations tied to her governmental position.

Her duties had already been put on hold the previous month while the court deliberated on the matter.

The outcome of the case has further destabilized Thailand's political scene, continuing a pattern of strife between the judicial system and democratically elected officials.

This trend dates back to the 2006 ousting of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

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