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Published 21 Aug, 2025 11:05am

Thailand’s suspended PM Paetongtarn testifies in court over border dispute

Thailand’s suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra appeared in court on Thursday to testify in a case that could lead to her removal from office due to her handling of a border dispute with Cambodia.

The daughter of influential former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn, faces accusations of failing to represent the country adequately during a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

The Constitutional Court, which ousted her predecessor last year in a separate ethics case is expected to rule next Friday on whether she should be dismissed.

The court has suspended Paetongtam from her duties last month, summoning her to answer questions on her 39th birthday. Dressed in black suit , she arrived at the Bangkok court house with Prommin Lertsuridej, a key adviser also named in the case.

The controversy centers around a June call with Hun Sen concerning the escalating border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. During the conversation, Paetongtam referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and described a Thai military commander as her “opponent”, prompting backlash from conservative lawmakers who accused her of undermining Thailand’s military a powerful institution in the country.

Following the leaked call, Paetongtarn’s main coalition partner withdrew in protest, nearly collapsing her government. A group of senators has filed a petition with the Constitutional Court, arguing that she should be removed for violating constitutional provisions regarding integrity and ethical standards for ministers.

If the court rules against her, Paetongtarn would become the third member of the Shinawatra family to be ousted as prime minister, following her father and her aunt Yingluck both of whom were removed from the military coups.

The fallout from the leaked calls has not only triggered a political crisis bit has also strained Thai Cambodian relations, leading to deadliest military clash between the two countries in decades, with over 40 fatalities and 300,000 people displaced along the border.

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