The Constitutional Court in Bangkok has removed Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office for appointing a minister with a criminal record. The justices voted 5-4 in the afternoon (local time) to dismiss the 62-year-old.
Back in May, dozens of senators close to the military filed a lawsuit against the former real estate magnate, a verdict that came as a surprise to many political observers.
Convicted man appointed minister
The senators accused Srettha of breaking the rules by appointing politician Pichit Chuenban as a minister – because he has a criminal record. Pichit was sentenced to six months in prison in 2008 for contempt of court in a bribery scandal. Under mounting pressure, he resigned in May.
According to political observers, Srettha had argued in his defence that Pichit’s appointment was in accordance with the law, including because he had previously sought legal advice.
Srettha stayed away from court
Nevertheless, the court ruled that the head of government had violated the rules. Srettha did not reach the verdict himself and attended other meetings. The dismissal of the head of government could plunge the Southeast Asian country into a new political crisis.
People don’t appreciate him
Srettha was relatively unpopular with the public: a majority of Thais were dissatisfied with his government’s performance, according to an opinion poll in June. The concerns were the emerging country’s weak economic performance and the high debt burden of private households.
The situation remains difficult
These are once again politically turbulent times in the kingdom, which has seen repeated coups, military governments and street protests by the democratic movement in recent decades. Just last week, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP), under pressure from conservative forces. The reason for this was that, from the judges’ perspective, the strongest opposition party was endangering the monarchy by trying to invalidate the lèse-majesté law. Former top candidate Pita Limjaroenrat and other prominent members are banned from holding political office for the next ten years.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
