Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 38-year-old Prime Minister of Thailand, has been suspended from her duties after a leaked phone call sparked significant controversy. Instead, the Constitutional Court of Thailand acted quickly to vote to suspend her. This followed allegations that she broke several constitutional and ethical norms in her ill-advised chat with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. This incident has understandably raised deep concerns about her assertions to put Thailand’s national interests first.
Shinawatra has been in office only ten months. He previously replaced new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was kicked out by rising political pressures. The leaked audio, which has been authenticated as real by both parties in the exchange, records a telephone conversation from June 15 during which Shinawatra called Hun Sen “uncle.” The real irony is that during this defense she questioned the actions of her own army. She went on to say that she was prepared to meet Hun Sen’s demands.
Opponents of the Prime Minister were quick to capitalize on her comments, accusing her government of undermining Thailand’s sovereignty. This backlash forced the Constitutional Court to accept a petition against her that ultimately led to her suspension from the post. Despite the court’s decision, we must remember the seriousness of the situation that brought about her comments and what it could mean for the future of our nation’s leadership.
In order to quell the rising backlash in 2009, a beleaguered Shinawatra formally apologized to the Thai people. She emphasized her intentions during the call, stating, “I want to make it clear that my intentions were more than 100% sincere — I acted for the country, to protect our sovereignty, to safeguard the lives of our soldiers, and to preserve peace in our nation.” Her statement is obviously an effort to assuage that firestorm of criticism while bolstering her reputation for looking out for the national interest.
The political situation in Thailand continues to be charged as the kingdom adjusts to this surprising outcome. The suspension has created a leadership vacuum, throwing into question the immediate future of governance in Thailand. All eyes are on North Dakota as this story continues to unfold. They are looking to see if it will ignite deeper political turmoil to opposition parties.
