Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra Fired By Court

JAKARTA - Thailand's Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from his post on Friday for ethical violations after only one year in power.

This decision dealt a crushing blow to the political dynasty of Shinawatra which could trigger a period of new chaos.

Paetongtarn, Thailand's youngest prime minister, became the sixth prime minister of or backed by the family of billionaire Shinawatra who was dismissed by the military or courts in a volatile struggle for power for two decades between the country's warring elites.

In its ruling, the court declared Paetongtarn a violation of ethics in a leaked phone call in June, in which Paetongtarn seemed to disgust Cambodian former leader Hun Sen when the two countries were on the verge of an armed border conflict.

The fighting erupted a few weeks later and lasted for five days.

This decision paved the way for the election of a new prime minister by parliament, a protracted process, as the ruling party Pheu Thai led by Paetongtarn lost its bargaining power and faced challenges to strengthen fragile alliances with a slim majority.

In a 6-3 decision, the court stated that Paetongtarn had prioritized his personal interests above the interests of the nation and damaged the reputation of the country, which caused the loss of public trust.

"Due to a personal relationship that appears to be related to Cambodia, the defendant is consistently willing to comply with or act according to Cambodia's wishes," the court said in a statement.

This decision ends the term of office of the female prime minister as well as an influential tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra premature student.

Paetongtarn, 39, was a beginner in the world of politics when he suddenly became the spotlight after the sudden sacking of his predecessor, Sretta Thavisin, by the same court a year ago.