Thailand's PM Srettha Thavisin Ousted Amid Political Turmoil

On Wednesday, August 14, Thailand's Constitutional Court removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office. The court cited his appointment of a former lawyer who had served jail time, signalling potential further political instability and possible reconfiguration of the ruling coalition, reported Channel News Asia. Srettha, a real estate mogul, became the fourth Thai prime minister in the past 16 years to be ousted by the court for breaching the constitution by choosing a minister who did not meet ethical standards.

His dismissal, after less than a year in office, necessitates that parliament select a new prime minister. This situation raises the possibility of increased uncertainty in a country plagued by coups and judicial decisions that have repeatedly destabilized governments over the past two decades. Recently, the same court dissolved the anti-establishment Move Forward Party (MFP), a popular opposition group, ruling that its efforts to amend laws against insulting the monarchy threatened the constitutional monarchy. The MFP reformed under a new name last Friday, according to Channel News Asia.

Srettha's Pheu Thai Party, along with its predecessors, has been at the center of Thailand's political turmoil, with two administrations removed by coups amid an ongoing conflict between the party's founders, the Shinawatra family, and their conservative and royalist military opponents. The court's ruling could disrupt a fragile peace between political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra and his conservative and military adversaries. This truce had facilitated Shinawatra's return from 15 years in exile in 2023 and Srettha's rise to the premiership on the same day.

Srettha defended his appointment of former Shinawatra lawyer Pichit Chuenban, who was briefly imprisoned for contempt of court in 2008 over an alleged bribery attempt, arguing that it was legitimate. The bribery claim was never substantiated, and Pichit resigned in May, reported Channel News Asia. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is anticipated to serve as the interim prime minister, according to ANI.

(With inputs from agencies.)