Thai Constitutional Court removes PM Srettha over cabinet appointment

Bangkok, Aug 14 : Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office over his ethical violation for appointing a cabinet member with a prison record.

The judges agreed by five votes to four to end Srettha’s premiership status for breaching ethical standards under the country’s constitution. The court also dismissed his cabinet but the remaining members will continue to perform caretaker duties until a new cabinet takes office.

The appointment of Pichit Chuenban as Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, despite knowing that he was unqualified to hold a political post, indicated that Srettha committed a serious ethical breach and was disqualified under the constitution, the nine-panel court said.

The verdict came after a group of 40 former senators petitioned the court to decide whether Srettha’s appointment of Pichit, who served a six-month prison sentence for contempt of court following a bribery attempt, was unethical conduct and violated the Constitution.

Srettha said after the ruling that he respected the court verdict. “I performed duties to the best of my ability and adhered to ethical principles throughout my nearly one-year tenure in office.”

The current administration’s policies could be adjusted depending on the decision of the new government, he told reporters at the government house, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is currently returning to Thailand from overseas to take over as caretaker prime minister, while a new prime minister selection by the parliament is underway.

Srettha, 62, previously headed property giant Sansiri and joined politics only before the 2023 election and became one of the prime ministerial candidates of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

The prime minister candidates are required to have been nominated by their party prior to the election. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37-year-old daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and 75-year-old Chaikasem Nitisiri are two eligible candidates from the Pheu Thai Party.

According to the Thai parliament, the 500-member House of Representatives is scheduled to convene on Friday to select the Southeast Asian nation’s next prime minister.