Thailand court dismisses PM Srettha Thavisin over breach of ethics

Bangkok: A week after dissolving the main opposition Move Forward Party, Thailand's Constitutional Court on Wednesday dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office over breach of ethics for appointing a former lawyer to his cabinet who had been jailed 16 years ago.

The judges voted 5-4 to oust Srettha after ruling that the Prime Minister had violated the constitution by appointing Pichit Chuenban as a minister in his office.

As many as 40 former Senators had petitioned the court, questioning Srettha's decision despite the country's constitution clearly stipulating that ministers must be "of evident integrity" and their behavior must comply with ethical standards. Srettha, a real estate mogul, entered the often shaky Thai political landscape only last year.

In August 2023, he was elected as the Southeast Asian kingdom's new PM after winning a simple majority in a parliamentary vote, setting the stage for Pheu Thai Party's candidate to form the country's next government.

Local media reported that Deputy PM Phumtham Wechayachai is likely to be appointed as a caretaker PM till the country's Parliament is convened to vote for the next Prime Minister.

On August 7, the same court had dissolved the main opposition Move Forward Party, ruling its efforts to amend a law against defaming the kingdom's royal family violated the constitution.

The court had also imposed a ban on 11 members of the party's executive board from political activity for 10 years, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Move Forward Party had emerged as the largest party in the lower house of the National Assembly in Thailand's general election last year, but its prime minister candidate fell short of securing the majority support of parliamentarians.

The lese-majeste law, or Section 112 of the Criminal Code, stipulates that whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years.

IANS