Bangkok, Thailand
CNN
—

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been removed from office after a court ruled he had violated the constitution, a shocking decision that plunges the kingdom into further political uncertainty.

The ruling came a week after the same court dissolved the country’s popular progressive Move Forward party, which won the most seats in last year’s elections, and banned its leaders from politics for 10 years.

The Constitutional Court in Bangkok ruled on Wednesday that Srettha, a property magnate and relative newcomer to politics, violated ethics rules when he appointed a lawyer who had served a prison sentence to the cabinet.

Five of the court’s nine judges voted to dismiss Srettha and his cabinet, ruling that the prime minister was “well aware that he had appointed a person who seriously lacked moral integrity.”

Now a new government must be formed and the ruling coalition led by the Pheu Thai Party will nominate a new candidate for prime minister, who will be voted on by the 500-seat parliament.

Speaking to reporters after the decision, Srettha said he had performed his duty as prime minister as best as he could and said he “accepted the verdict”. He added that he was not sure whether the next government would continue his policies.

The ruling brings further shock to Thailand’s already turbulent political landscape, where those seeking change often clash with the establishment – a small but powerful clique of military, monarchy and business elites.

Over the past two decades, dozens of MPs have been expelled from parliament, parties dissolved, and prime ministers overthrown by coups or court orders. The judiciary plays a central role in the ongoing struggle for power.

While Srettha’s appointment as top official last August ended a three-month political impasse following the 2023 election, it resulted in his Pheu Thai party forming a ruling coalition with its long-time military rivals.

The charges against Srettha were brought in May by a group of 40 military-appointed former senators who wanted to remove him from office because Pichit Chuenban, a close aide of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had been appointed to his cabinet.

Pichit was sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court in 2008 after attempting to bribe Supreme Court officials in a land case involving Thaksin.

Srettha denied any wrongdoing and said Pichit, who has since resigned, had been properly vetted and that the party had followed due procedures.

Polls show Srettha’s popularity has declined in recent months as his key economic policy measures face resistance and delays.

But Wednesday’s ruling shocked political analysts who had believed the court would side with the prime minister.

“The ruling came as a surprise because it points to unprecedented judicial interventions to shape political direction, first with the dissolution of Move Forward and now with the removal of Srettha within a week,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University.

The two decisions have raised new concerns about the erosion of democratic rights in the kingdom.

“Given the recent rulings, Thailand can be considered semi-autocratic at best, as the people’s votes count for virtually nothing. The conservative establishment has the power to veto and manipulate to achieve the desired results,” Thitinan said.

Since Srettha took office, his priority has been to fix the country’s ailing economy.

The ousted president had touted a 500 billion baht ($13.8 billion) digital wallet issuance program that he said would create jobs and boost spending in underdeveloped regions. The plan has yet to be implemented.

Srettha also set a goal for Thailand to attract more foreign investment and become a global tourism hub, expanding visa-free travel and announcing plans to host major events to boost the economy.

Pheu Thai and the Establishment

The populist Pheu Thai Party is the latest incarnation of a party allied with divisive former leader Thaksin, who was ousted in a military coup in 2005.

Thaksin, a telecommunications billionaire and former owner of Manchester City football club, is the head of a famous political dynasty that has played an outsized role in Thai politics over the past two decades.

His dramatic return from a 15-year self-imposed exile last year coincided with the Senate’s vote to appoint Srettha as the country’s 30th prime minister.

With this vote, Pheu Thai secured the leadership of a multi-party coalition. Move Forward, which won an overwhelming election victory in May 2023 with its extremely popular reform program, was forced into opposition.

Move Forward had proposed radical reforms to capitalise on anger that has been growing for years over the way Thailand is governed. These included changes to the country’s notoriously strict lese majeste laws, which criminalise insulting senior members of the royal family.

In July 2023, conservative senators blocked Move Forward from forming a government on the basis of its reform campaign. And last week, the Constitutional Court accused the party of “undermining the monarchy” and ordered its dissolution – a blow to the vibrant progressive movement. The former members have since re-established the party under a new name.

With Srettha no longer in office, political negotiations will resume as coalition partners vie for cabinet posts and the top job.

One likely candidate is Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s youngest daughter. Other candidates include Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who successfully campaigned for the legalization of cannabis in the country, and political veteran Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of the pro-military Palang Pracharat party, who was involved in the last two coup attempts against the Shinawatra family.

This story has been updated.