Thailand’s PM Srettha Thavisin has been removed from office after a Constitutional Court ruled he had “grossly breached ethical standards”. Image source: Pinitkarn Tulachom, VOA Thai Multimedia Specialist, via Wikimedia Commons.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office on Wednesday 14 August over a cabinet appointment which violated the constitution.
The court voted 5–4 to terminate Srettha as prime minister “due to his lack of honesty” for appointing former lawyer Pichit Chuenban to office during a cabinet reshuffle.
Pichit previously served a six-month prison sentence in 2008 for contempt of court after he allegedly attempted to bribe court staff.
The bribery allegations were never proven and Pichit resigned from his position in the prime minister’s office in May.
Judge Punya Udchachon said Srettha had “grossly breached ethical standards”.
Srettha has maintained that the appointment was above board.
He told reporters, “I am saddened to leave as a prime minister who was found to be unethical.”
“I performed my duties with integrity and honesty.”
Wednesday’s ruling came less than a week after judges voted 6–3 to accept the petition calling for Srettha’s removal but rejected an application to suspend him from his duties pending the investigation.
The complaint was lodged by 40 senators who were appointed by the military following a 2014 against Pheu Thai’s last government.
Srettha is the fourth Thai prime minister to be removed by the verdicts of the same court in 16 years.
As he was dismissed less than a year after coming to power, parliament must convene to choose a new premier.
Deputy Premier Phumtham Wechayachai is expected to take over as caretaker prime minister.
Senior lecturer in International Studies at the University of South Australia Dr Adam Simpson said it was a “surprising decision”.
“PM Srettha represented little threat to the military-monarch complex and indeed was instrumental in bringing the military-backed parties into the governing coalition after the last election,” said Simpson.
Last week, the Constitutional Court dissolved the anti-establishment opposition Move Forward Party, ruling its campaign to reform a law against insulting the monarchy risked undermining the constitutional monarchy.
It regrouped as new party on Friday and promised to continue its anti-establishment agenda.
“The decision [on Wednesday] just reinforces the extent to which Thai democratic institutions are broken with conservative forces using lawfare to stymie the popular will,” said Simpson.
