Thai court removes Srettha Thavisin after he appointed a former lawyer who served jail time to cabinet

The Guardian

Thailand’s constitutional court on Wednesday dismissed the prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who served jail time, raising the spectre of more political upheaval and a reset of the governing alliance.

Srettha, a real-estate tycoon, becomes the fourth Thai prime minister in 16 years to be removed by verdicts of the same court, after it ruled he had violated the constitution by appointing a minister who did not meet ethical standards.

Srettha’s removal after less than a year in power means parliament must convene to choose a new premier, with the prospect of more uncertainty in a country dogged for two decades by coups and court rulings that have brought down multiple governments and political parties.

The same court last week dissolved the anti-establishment Move Forward party, the hugely popular opposition, ruling its campaign to reform a law against insulting the crown risked undermining the constitutional monarchy. Move Forward regrouped on Friday under a new party.

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/14/thailand-pm-srettha-thavisin-court-case-dismissal-ruling-judgment?utm_source=gazette_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=High-profile+lawyers+quit+Twitter+%7c+Solicitor+reprimanded+over+%27poorly+judged+attempt+at+humour%27+%7c+Olympic+marathon+lawyer_08%2f14%2f2024