Thailand’s Constitutional Court Ousts Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for Constitutional Violations

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has been ousted from office following a surprising court decision.

The Constitutional Court in Bangkok ruled that Srettha violated the constitution by appointing a lawyer with a criminal record to his Cabinet.

The ruling, which came on August 14, also led to the dismissal of Srettha’s Cabinet.

This decision follows a recent move by the same court to dissolve the progressive Move Forward Party, which had won the most seats in last year’s election. The court also imposed a 10-year ban on the party’s leaders from participating in politics.

Srettha, a real estate businessman with limited political experience, was found to have acted unethically by appointing Pichit Chuenban, who had previously served time in prison for bribery, to his team.

Five of the nine judges agreed that Srettha was aware of Pichit’s questionable moral integrity when making the appointment.

In response to the court’s decision, Srettha expressed his acceptance of the verdict and reflected on his tenure, though he noted uncertainty about the future of his policies under the new government.

The ruling Pheu Thai-led coalition will now need to select a new prime minister, who will be approved by the 500-seat parliament.

This case follows a pattern in Thailand’s political history, where court rulings and military interventions have frequently reshuffled the political landscape, resulting in the removal of lawmakers and the dissolution of political parties.