Constitutional Court gives a new turn to Thai political crisis

Thailand’s Constitutional Court had suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the plea of 36 Senators that her controversial phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen should be investigated, and that she should be suspended pending investigation. Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit is the acting prime minister. Paetongtarn will remain prime minister and minister for culture.

The new cabinet lineup was announced by the Royal Gazette on Tuesday. There were changes in the portfolios assigned to the cabinet members. Defence minister Phumthum Wejayachai has been appointed the new deputy prime minister and minister of interior. Finance minister and deputy prime minister Pichai Chunhavajira retains his position. The new lineup is approved by King Vajiralongkorn, who is the constitutional head of state. The monarch keeps himself aloof from the political tussles and turmoil. The army has been the staunchest defender of the monarchy.

In the course of her conversation Paetongtarn had made derogatory remarks about the Thai general of the Second Army who was handling the clashes with Cambodia across the border. There was apprehension that the army might take offence and intervene in the political system. The army had intervened earlier. But this time round, the army had kept out and it had even issued a statement that it had no intention of intervening.

The Shinawatras are the most controversial and also very popular political family in Thailand. It is also a rich business family. The family had three prime ministers, Paetongtarn, her aunt Yingluck, and her father Thaksin. Pateongtarn had been quite penitential about her telephonic conversation with Hun Sen. She said that she had telephoned the Cambodian leader to prevent clashes with Cambodia. She said, “I was only thinking about way to prevent clashes and casualties. I insist that I had no ill intentions. I apologise if the approach I took was unsatisfactory.”

The Thai-Cambodia border dispute is recognised by both sides as a complicated question. It is a 817-km (508 miles) border with 17 official border crossings between the two countries. The latest crisis arose from a clash on May 28 in an undemarcated area where a Thai solider was killed. The two sides soon exchanged statements and expressed desire to resolve the issue through bilateral talks. The armies on both sides had also returned to their earlier position. Meanwhile, Cambodia had expressed the view that the border issue should be referred to the International Court of Justice for a fair decision based in international law. Thailand said it did not recognise the jurisdiction of the court, and preferred bilateral talks.

The Thai government had decreased the hours of functioning at 10 of the official border crossings, which has restricted the tourists coming from Cambodia into Thailand, and cited security concerns. Cambodia on its part has halted fuel and gas imports from Thailand, and it has issued an advisory to its citizens not to travel to Thailand.

The dispute centres over a Hindu temple on the border, and there was a clash in 2008, and a month-long exchange of artillery fire in 2011. The issue has been simmering for nearly two decades.

While Thailand and Cambodia seem to have gone back to the May 28 pre-clash positions and talks are underway, it is the fallout of the clash that has created a storm in Thai politics. It appears that Paetongtarn had wanted to use her family connection with Cambodian leader Hun Sen – her father Thaksin Shinawatra and Hun Sen are good friends – to sort out the issue. There is speculation that she is not on good terms with Cambodian prime minister and Hun Sen’s son, Hun Manet.