by RICHARD S EHRLICH
The Cambodian strongman, ending his friendship with the family of PM Paetongtarn, dishes dirt on Thaksin Shinawatra, her father
BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s politically powerful Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday (July 1) after accepting a case of alleged “ethical misconduct” against her because she criticized a Royal Thai Army commander in her leaked phone call with Cambodia’s de facto leader Hun Sen during their deadly border feud.
Paetongtarn’s suspension came after the two countries briefly clashed on May 28 and Thai troops shot dead a Cambodian soldier in the Emerald Triangle where eastern Thailand, northern Cambodia and southern Laos meet.
Paetongtarn apologized to the public and insisted she had “no ill intentions” when she clumsily tried to “negotiate” with Cambodia’s battle-hardened Senate President Hun Sen.
The Constitutional Court gave her 15 days to defend herself.
Meanwhile, to run this increasingly troubled Southeast Asian nation, she appointed Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit to become caretaker prime minister while the court decides during the next several weeks.
The court voted 7-2 to immediately suspend her after the nine judges voted unanimously to consider a petition by 36 appointed, pro-military senators.
The senators, referring to the audio clip from the phone call, claimed Paetongtarn’s behavior was “ethical misconduct” and “lacking integrity” when she spoke to Hun Sen while the border feud remains unresolved.
When the June 15 call was leaked, Thais were shocked to hear her criticize Thailand’s Second Army Region Commander Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang while speaking to Hun Sen.
Her “derogatory remarks” and “submissive tone towards Hun Sen, with her signaling a readiness to comply with the Cambodian strongman’s demands,” were the reason for her political collapse, the conservative Bangkok Post reported.
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