Turmoil in Thailand as court dismisses PM over cabinet appointment

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin today for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who had served jail time.

In doing so, he becomes the fourth Thai premier in 16 years to be removed by the courts and it continues to plunge the nation into further political chaos.

Srettha’s Pheu Thai Party and its predecessors were removed twice before as the establishment clashed with the billionaire Shinawatra family which includes two former prime ministers - Thaksin and Yingluck.

The 5-4 decision by the nine-member bench has torpedoed Srettha’s troubled government, which has failed to gain support in parliament and among the Thai public.

Last week, the same court dissolved the hugely popular opposition Move Forward Party - which came in first in the last election but was squeezed out of power.

The court ruled that its campaign to reform a law against insulting the crown risked undermining the constitutional monarchy and the party has since regrouped under a new banner.

Thailand's Move Forward Party MPs to switch to new political party

Thai court dissolves opposition Move Forward Party

LETTER | Thai govt should stop weaponising the courts against opponents