BANGKOK : The ruling marks yet another blow to the powerful Shinawatra dynasty and makes Paetongtarn the fifth Thai leader removed by court order since 2008.

The court ruled that Paetongtarn had violated ethical standards by putting “personal interest over the country’s” and failing to uphold the nation’s pride. The decision comes after weeks of controversy surrounding the leaked audio, in which Paetongtarn criticized the Thai military and appeared conciliatory toward Hun Sen during discussions over a worsening border dispute.

Although she later apologized, calling the remarks a “negotiating tactic”, furious senators demanded her resignation and petitioned the court to intervene. The Constitutional Court rejected her defense, ordering her immediate removal from office.

The scandal is a major setback for the Shinawatra family, long a dominant but polarizing force in Thai politics. Paetongtarn’s father, telecom tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, served as prime minister from 2001 until a 2006 coup forced him into exile. His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, won a landslide in 2011 before being ousted by the same court in 2014.

The family’s uneasy relationship with Thailand’s military and monarchy has fueled decades of political turbulence. Despite once forming an alliance with military-backed groups to counter rising progressive parties, the Shinawatras now face renewed challenges to their political influence.

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