Overview

• The Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on July 1 for alleged ethical breaches after a leaked diplomatic call highlighted her handling of Cambodian border tensions.
• Vice-Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit assumed her duties immediately, and by July 3 an interim cabinet led by Phumtham Wechayachai was sworn in.
• The same court opened a lèse-majesté trial against former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, accusing him of insulting the king and royal family in a 2015 South Korean newspaper interview.
• The dual actions underscore the judiciary’s growing role in adjudicating political disputes and reflect long-standing friction between the Shinawatra dynasty and conservative military-aligned forces.
• Thailand’s political landscape remains fragile as coalition fractures persist and military influence endures under pressures from U.S. trade measures.