Bangkok – Thailand's Constitutional Court has removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office due to an ethics breach, marking the fifth time in 17 years that a prime minister has been ousted by the judiciary. The ruling deals another severe setback to the Shinawatra political dynasty and sets the stage for a potentially protracted political deadlock.

The court found Paetongtarn guilty of ethical misconduct in connection with a leaked telephone conversation from June. During the call, she reportedly showed subservience to Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen amid escalating tensions between the two countries that culminated in a five-day border clash. The court's decision ends her tenure after only one year as Thailand's youngest prime minister and the daughter of influential tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra.

Paetongtarn expressed remorse over the call, stating she had sought to prevent a military conflict. Despite this, her ruling Pheu Thai party now faces diminished influence and must navigate the challenge of maintaining a fragile coalition with a narrow majority in parliament.

Following the verdict, Thailand enters a period of political uncertainty as parliament prepares to elect a new prime minister. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and the current cabinet will manage the government in an interim capacity, with no specified deadline for the election of Paetongtarn’s successor.

Five individuals qualify to assume the prime ministership. Among them is Chaikasem Nitisiri, a veteran attorney general and the only candidate from Pheu Thai, who has remained largely behind the scenes. Other contenders include former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the architect of the 2014 military coup, and Anutin Charnvirakul, a former deputy prime minister who withdrew his party from the coalition following the controversy.

Political analysts warn that appointing a new leader will be complex and time-consuming due to competing party interests. Stithorn Thananithichot, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, noted, "It’s not easy for all parties to align their interests. Pheu Thai will be at a disadvantage."

This development heightens political instability amid broader public dissatisfaction over slowed reforms and an economy expected to grow only 2.3% this year. The precarious coalition majority risks frequent parliamentary challenges from a strong opposition pushing for early elections.

The removal of Paetongtarn continues a two-decade saga of intense rivalry between the Shinawatra family and Thailand’s entrenched conservative and military factions, underscoring the ongoing fragility of the country's democratic process.