Tue Jul 01 09:20:00 UTC 2025: **Thai PM Suspended Amid Ethics Allegations, Plunging Nation into Political Crisis**

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, throwing the country into further political turmoil. The court is deliberating a complaint alleging ethical breaches stemming from a private conversation with Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

The controversy centers around a call, later released online by Hun Sen, regarding a simmering border dispute between the two nations. In the recording, Ms. Paetongtarn is accused of adopting a deferential tone, addressing Hun Sen as “uncle” and appearing to criticize the Thai military.

A group of 36 senators filed the complaint, alleging Ms. Paetongtarn’s conduct violated the constitution, lacked integrity, and breached ethical standards, demanding her removal from office. The move has ignited a firestorm, triggering widespread protests and calls for her resignation. A key coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, already defected last month and the government faces an imminent no-confidence vote.

The 7-2 ruling by the Constitutional Court marks the latest chapter in Thailand’s prolonged period of political instability. The leadership vacuum comes at a critical time, with the nation’s economy facing a slowdown. While analysts believe another military coup is unlikely, concerns are mounting that the royalist-military establishment will utilize legal avenues to remove Ms. Paetongtarn, mirroring the removal of her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, on similar grounds last year.

Ms. Paetongtarn, 38, has been widely perceived as a proxy for her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr. Thaksin himself faces separate legal challenges, including a trial on charges of insulting the monarchy that could result in a lengthy prison sentence.

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