Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has been removed from office following a ruling by the Thai Constitutional Court, which found him guilty of violating the constitution.
The court’s decision, delivered on Wednesday, concluded that Thavisin’s appointment of Pichit Chuenban as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in May was unconstitutional.
The ruling effectively strips Thavisin of his status as Prime Minister, compelling him to step down immediately.
The decision also led to the dissolution of his cabinet.
The court’s judges reached the verdict with a narrow 5-4 vote, concluding that Thavisin had acted dishonestly by appointing Chuenban to a ministerial position.
The Thai Constitution mandates that any minister must “not have behaviour which is a serious violation of or failure to comply with ethical standards.”
It further stipulates that any breach of this rule requires the immediate termination of the minister’s tenure.
The controversy began in May 2024 when a petition, signed by 40 senators, was submitted seeking Thavisin’s removal.
The petition accused the Prime Minister of violating ethical standards by appointing Chuenban, who had a criminal record, as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
In April, Srettha Thavisin appointed Pichit Chuenban as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office during a cabinet reshuffle.
Pichit, previously convicted of contempt of court in 2008, had served a six-month prison term for attempting to bribe a judge with 2 million baht, $55,000, in cash over a case involving former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Before his ministerial appointment, Chuenban served as an advisor to Thavisin.
However, his past includes serving as a lawyer for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during the “lunchbox cash” scandal, where he was convicted of attempting to bribe the Supreme Court, resulting in a six-month prison sentence.
Despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling, Thavisin has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that Chuenban’s appointment was made legally and with due diligence.
Nonetheless, the former Prime Minister has stated that he will respect the court’s decision, which is final and not subject to appeal.
