Thailand has once again been thrust into political turmoil after the Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for an ethics violation, igniting a fierce contest among rival factions to fill the leadership vacuum. The ruling, delivered on Friday, August 29, 2025, marked the abrupt end of the nation’s youngest prime minister’s tenure and dealt another blow to the powerful Shinawatra family, whose members and allies have dominated—and repeatedly been ousted from—Thai politics for more than two decades.
Paetongtarn’s removal came after a 6-3 decision by the Constitutional Court, which found that she had breached ethical standards during a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen. The call, which took place on June 15, 2025, occurred at a time of escalating tensions between the two countries, just weeks before a deadly five-day border conflict erupted. In the conversation, Paetongtarn was heard referring to Hun Sen as “uncle” and describing a Thai army general as an “opponent”—language that sparked outrage and led to accusations of undermining Thailand’s military and national interests.
According to Reuters, the court stated, “Due to a personal relationship that appeared aligned with Cambodia, the respondent was consistently willing to comply with or act in accordance with the wishes of the Cambodian side.” While the court acknowledged that Paetongtarn had intended to prevent conflict and protect Thailand’s sovereignty, the majority opinion concluded that her actions constituted a breach of ethical standards, damaging the country’s reputation and eroding public confidence.
Paetongtarn, who is just 39 years old and a political neophyte, accepted the court’s verdict and apologized, insisting that her only goal was to avert war and save lives. “I accept the court’s decision, but I maintain that I acted solely to prevent bloodshed,” she said, as reported by the BBC. Her defense—that her familiar tone was a negotiating tactic—did little to sway the court or her critics, who saw the conversation as evidence of misplaced loyalties at a critical moment.
The fallout was immediate. On Saturday, August 30, 2025, political factions scrambled to assert their readiness to form the next government, though no clear timeline was set for a parliamentary vote. The once-mighty Pheu Thai party, founded by Paetongtarn’s father Thaksin Shinawatra, faced the daunting task of holding together a coalition that has steadily lost public support. Meanwhile, Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnvirakul emerged as a key player, claiming to have secured enough votes to form a government and pledging to call an election within four months. “We are here to work for the people; we have enough votes of support,” Anutin announced at a press conference, as reported by StratNews Global.
Thailand’s opposition People’s Party, which holds nearly a third of parliamentary seats, also stepped into the fray. Although the party has vowed not to join any government, it signaled willingness to support any faction promising an early election and a referendum on constitutional reform. Acting premier Phumtham Wechayachai, now leading the caretaker administration, expressed confidence that Pheu Thai could still prevail, but acknowledged there was no fixed timeframe for selecting a new prime minister. “I believe the People’s Party will use reason to make its decision. I don’t think they will be in a hurry,” Phumtham said, according to Reuters. “Pheu Thai can bring in more people.”
The Shinawatra dynasty’s latest setback underscores the extraordinary power wielded by Thailand’s Constitutional Court. Since its creation in 1997, the court—composed of nine judges appointed by the king on the Senate’s advice—has repeatedly removed elected officials, dissolved political parties, and imposed bans on prominent politicians. Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, described the court’s reach: “There are nine judges on the bench, and these nine judges can dismiss a democratically elected prime minister very easily. There’s no appeal, there’s no scrutiny of the court’s power. No matter how popular you are, you can be struck down anytime.”
This cycle of judicial and military interventions has created a climate of instability and disillusionment with democracy among many Thais. Critics, including Human Rights Watch, argue that the court often acts as a proxy for the conservative establishment, targeting reformist or populist politicians who threaten the status quo. The Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the 2023 general election on a platform of reform—including amending Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté law—was dissolved by the court and its leaders banned from politics, despite broad public support. The question now is whether Thailand’s voters will continue to believe their voices matter when unelected bodies can so swiftly overturn electoral outcomes.
Paetongtarn herself was not a particularly popular figure, with a June 2025 NIDA poll showing her approval rating at just 9.2%. Nonetheless, her ouster has reignited debates about the future of democracy in Thailand and the role of the judiciary in shaping the country’s political landscape. As the focus shifts to the selection of a new prime minister, several candidates have been floated, including Chaikasem Nitisiri of Pheu Thai—a 77-year-old former attorney general with limited political experience—former premier Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the 2014 military coup, and Anutin Charnvirakul, who withdrew his party from Paetongtarn’s coalition over the phone call scandal.
The process to elect a new prime minister could be drawn out, as the constitution sets no deadline. In the meantime, the caretaker government led by Phumtham Wechayachai will oversee day-to-day affairs. Analysts warn that any new administration is likely to face a fragile coalition and frequent parliamentary challenges, especially as the opposition commands significant public support and is pushing for early elections. “Appointing a new prime minister...will be difficult and may take considerable time,” observed Stithorn Thananithichot, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University. “It’s not easy for all parties to align their interests. Pheu Thai will be at a disadvantage.”
All this political wrangling comes against a backdrop of economic malaise and public frustration. Thailand’s economy, Southeast Asia’s second largest, is expected to grow just 2.3% this year, according to the central bank—a sluggish pace that has fueled calls for reform and greater stability. Yet, with no clear path forward and no guarantee that the next government will be any more secure than the last, many Thais are left wondering: will the cycle of instability ever end?
As the dust settles from Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s dramatic exit, Thailand stands at another crossroads—a nation caught between old rivalries, new uncertainties, and the enduring question of who truly holds the power in its democracy.