Thailand Prime Minister Srettha removed from office by court order over ethics violation

Thailand's Prime Minister removed over ethical violation involving Cabinet member, shaking up politics, court ruling scrutinized.

A court in Thailand on Wednesday (August 14, 2024) removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office over an ethical violation, further shaking up Thai politics after the court-ordered dissolution of the main Opposition party a week ago.

The case for which the Constitutional Court judged Mr. Srettha involved his appointment of a Cabinet member who had been imprisoned over an alleged attempt to bribe a court official.

The court voted 5:4 against Mr. Srettha and the ruling removed him from office immediately.

The Cabinet will remain in place on a caretaker basis until Parliament approves a new Prime Minister. There is no time limit for Parliament to fill the position.

Mr. Srettha had appointed Pichit Chuenban as a Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office in a Cabinet reshuffle in April. Mr. Pichit was jailed for six months in 2008 on contempt of court charges after he allegedly tried to bribe a Judge with 2 million baht ($55,000) in cash in a grocery bag over a case involving former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr. Pichit resigned from the post weeks after being appointed when controversy over the incident was revived.

The court said that although Mr. Pichit has already served his jail term, his behaviour — as ruled by the Supreme Court — was dishonest.