Ejected

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Thailand’s Constitutional Court removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office on Wednesday for violating ethical standards by appointing a minister who had served jail time, a ruling that deepens the country’s political instability, Reuters reported.

Judge Punya Udchachon said the court voted 5-4 to sanction Srettha’s appointment of former lawyer Pitchit Chuenban, who was jailed for six months in 2008 for contempt of court.

Srettha is the fourth prime minister in 16 years to have been dismissed by a court. He left office nearly a year after he took over the job, and said he would not appeal the court’s decision, Al Jazeera reported.

Thailand’s parliament will meet on Friday to appoint his successor. In the meantime, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will serve as caretaker premier.

The news came as a surprise to political observers and Srettha himself, the news organization wrote.

Within the ruling coalition, his Pheu Thai party enjoyed the support of its governing partners to propose another candidate. Among those being considered is Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of former political strongman, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Meanwhile, the scramble to find a new leader could revive tensions between the Shinawatra family and their enemies from the conservative elites and the army, in a country marred by political crises and military coups.

A truce between the two camps had allowed Thaksin to return from a 15-year-long exile, under Srettha’s leadership.

But the outgoing prime minister’s downfall came after a complaint regarding Pitchit’s appointment was filed by senators appointed by the military after a coup in 2014.

Last week, the Constitutional Court ordered the dissolution of the anti-establishment Move Forward Party, which had won the 2023 election. The party, which lost a legal battle over its proposal to ease sanctions on criticism of the monarchy, soon re-formed under a new name.

Thailand’s economy risks suffering the consequences of the instability caused by both verdicts, analysts said. The country’s stock market has been one of Asia’s worst performers this year.