Who Is Paetongtarn Shinawatra? Thailand PM Suspended Over Leaked Phone Call

The Constitutional Court in Thailand has suspended the country's Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, over a controversy linked to a leaked phone call. The court’s decision came as Shinawatra is facing public pressure to resign from her post over the leaked phone call with Cambodian leader Hun Sen, BBC reported on Tuesday.

In the audio clip, she was speaking to former Cambodian leader Hun Sen and referred to him as "uncle". She allegedly criticised a top Thai military commander. The two nations are facing a border dispute. Her critics accuse her of appeasing Hun Sen and undermining Thailand's military.

As the call details went viral, Shinawatra faced immense public backlash and calls seeking her removal. Amid the public outrage, a petition seeking her removal from office is likely to be taken up by the court. She has been given 15 days to submit her defence.

According to a The Nation report, she vowed to defend herself in court. She claimed that the phone call was made with "good intentions for Thailand".

"Now that the court has made its decision, I humbly accept it and will stop working as Prime Minister for an indefinite period. But I have 15 days to present my case and explain the real intention behind my call to Hun Sen," Paetongtarn said, the report added.

The Shinawatras have dominated Thailand’s political landscape for the last 20 years. If Paetongtarn is dismissed from her role, it would be the third instance for the Shinawatra family of an elected member being ousted before completing a full term. 

Though suspended as Prime Minister, Paetongtarn will stay in government. On the day of the court’s ruling, she was named Minister of Culture. Once sworn in on July 3, she will be allowed to join Cabinet meetings in that role.

Paetongtarn’s father and former PM Thaksin Shinawatra is also facing a trial over a 2015 interview. In 2023, he returned to Thailand after his self-imposed exile for many years.

Paetongtarn, 38, now faces similar legal troubles, which could change the contours of the country’s politics. Her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was also dismissed by a court ruling, paving the way for Paetongtarn's entry into Thailand’s government, according to Thailand media outlet, The Nation.

Prior to her political career, Paetongtarn worked and gained experience in her family’s business empire. She studied at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. She also holds a degree from the University of Surrey in the UK.

Paetongtarn is Thailand’s youngest leader and only the second woman to serve as PM, following her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, the BBC report added.