Thai Prime Minister Shot and Injured; Constitutional Court Rules Unconstitutional and Unfit for Office | WPN World People News

Real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin, who was elected Prime Minister of Thailand in August last year, made a minor cabinet reshuffle at the end of April this year. Among the changes, he appointed legal advisor Phichit Chuenban as Minister of the Prime Minister's Office. This appointment was contested by 40 former senators, leading the Constitutional Court to rule on the 14th that it was unconstitutional and to remove Srettha from his position as Prime Minister, as well as dissolve the cabinet.

The controversy originated from a 2008 land acquisition case where Phichit, acting as a lawyer, represented then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Phichit was accused of attempting to bribe a judge with 2 million baht and was sentenced to six months in prison. His controversial past led to collective objections from legislators, who argued that both Srettha and Phichit violated ethical standards for cabinet ministers as outlined in the Thai constitution. They requested the Constitutional Court to determine the suitability of Srettha and Phichit for their respective positions.

Although Phichit resigned under public pressure before the Constitutional Court session, the incident still had significant repercussions for Prime Minister Srettha. The court ruled him unfit for office, and Srettha was removed less than a year into his tenure, with 5 out of 9 Supreme Court justices declaring the appointment unconstitutional. Thailand's political scene has been highly unstable over the past 20 years, with several governments or parties being dissolved or removed by the Constitutional Court for unconstitutional actions.

Following Srettha's dismissal, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will temporarily assume the role of Prime Minister. It is expected that on the 16th, members of parliament will select a new Prime Minister from the list of candidates proposed during last year's parliamentary elections.