Thailand's Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office pending investigation of charges of unethical behavior as a result of a recent diplomatic standoff with neighboring Cambodia.
In a verdict handed down on Tuesday, the court said it was temporarily removing Paetongtarn from her responsibilities pending the investigation.
"The 7-2 majority Constitutional Court suspends the respondent from Prime Ministerial work from 1 July until the Constitutional Court has delivered its decision," read the official release.
The case was brought by a group of right-wing senators who accused the Prime Minister of breaching ministerial ethics in a border standoff with Cambodia that had deteriorated earlier this year. The tensions ended in clashes along the disputed frontier in May that killed a Cambodian soldier.
At the heart of the scandal is a secretly taped audio clip where Paetongtarn allegedly called Cambodian leader Hun Sen "uncle" over the phone and dubbed a high-ranking Thai military leader her "opponent." The audio clip caused backlash from right-wing lawmakers, who say her words indicated submission to Cambodia and were disrespectful toward the Thai military.
They also allege Paetongtarn's statement runs counter to constitutional requirements that call on ministers to maintain "evident integrity" and follow high "ethical standards."
The suspension creates an interim leadership vacuum amid heightened international pressure on Thailand to explain how it managed foreign affairs and domestic military dynamics. The court did not give a deadline for its ultimate judgment.
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