Thailand's Prime Minister Removed from Office

• (Photo : By 首相官邸ホームページ, CC BY 4.0, ) Srettha Thavisin

Thailand's political landscape has been thrown into disarray following the Constitutional Court's decision to remove Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office on August 14, 2024. The court's ruling was based on an ethics violation concerning Srettha's appointment of Pichit Chuenban, a former lawyer with a criminal record, to his Cabinet. This decision further destabilizes the country's already volatile political environment, which has been marked by a series of judicial interventions and coups over the past two decades.

Srettha, who had been in office for less than a year, was found to have breached ethical standards by appointing Pichit as the Minister of the Prime Minister's Office. Pichit had previously served a six-month prison sentence in 2008 for contempt of court after allegedly attempting to bribe a judge with 2 million baht (approximately $55,000) concealed in a grocery bag. Despite Pichit's resignation shortly after his appointment, the court ruled that Srettha was aware of Pichit's past and still proceeded with the nomination, leading to the conclusion that he violated ethical codes.

The court's decision was reached by a narrow 5-4 vote, and it comes on the heels of another controversial ruling that dissolved the Move Forward Party, a popular opposition group. This party had campaigned on reforming the establishment and won the most seats in the 2023 elections but was blocked from forming a government by the military-appointed Thai Senate.

Srettha's removal has raised concerns about the potential for further political upheaval and economic instability in Thailand. The country's financial markets have already been rattled by recent events, with foreign investors pulling significant amounts of capital due to the political risk and the government's inability to revitalize the economy. The benchmark SET Index of stocks has been one of the worst performers globally, while the Thai baht has also depreciated.

The current Cabinet will continue to operate in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister is appointed by Parliament, although no timeline has been specified for this process. The political uncertainty is compounded by the ongoing rivalry between the Pheu Thai Party, led by the influential Shinawatra family, and the conservative establishment and military, as detailed in a Time report.

As Thailand navigates this tumultuous period, the focus will be on how the Pheu Thai Party and its allies manage the transition and whether they can maintain stability amid the challenges posed by the court's recent decisions, as noted by ABC News.