Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra Suspended Amid Court Case for Dismissal

Thailand's Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government under fire on multiple fronts.

The court said in a statement it had accepted a petition from 36 senators that accused Ms. Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards in violation of the constitution over the leak of a politically sensitive telephone conversation with Cambodia's influential former leader, Hun Sen.

The statement said there was 'reasonable cause to suspect' that Ms. Paetongtarn had violated the constitution.

The government is expected to be led by a deputy prime minister in a caretaker capacity while the court decides the case against Ms. Paetongtarn, who will remain in the cabinet as the new culture minister following a reshuffle.

In a seven-to-two majority decision, the judges of the court agreed to consider the petition from the senators.

Ms. Paetongtarn has been under increasing pressure over her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia and has been criticized for her deference towards Hun Sen during the phone call, in which she referred to him as uncle and called a senior Thai military officer an 'opponent'.

Thousands protested in the Thai capital, Bangkok, over the weekend calling for her resignation.

Ms. Paetongtarn's battles after only 10 months in power underline the declining strength of the Pheu Thai Party.

Ms. Paetongtarn's government has also been struggling to revive a stuttering economy and her popularity has declined sharply.

Ms. Paetongtarn is not alone in her troubles, with influential father Thaksin Shinawatra, the driving force behind her government, facing legal hurdles of his own in two different courts this month.

Mr. Thaksin, according to his lawyer, appeared at his first hearing at Bangkok's Criminal Court on Tuesday on charges he insulted Thailand's powerful monarchy, a serious offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

The Supreme Court will this month scrutinize that hospital stay and could potentially send him back to jail.

According to the source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation.