Thailand gets PM only for a day after Paetongtarn's suspension

Suriya's time as acting premier is due to end with a cabinet reshuffle already scheduled before Tuesday's court bombshell

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Thailand's acting prime minister is set to helm the country for only one full day on Wednesday, standing in for suspended premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra before being replaced himself in a cabinet reshuffle.

Transport minister and deputy prime minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit began his engagements by attending a ceremony in Bangkok celebrating the longevity of the prime minister's office.

The event marked the 93rd anniversary of an institution Suriya is set to command for far fewer than 93 hours as Thailand reels from the suspension of Paetongtarn, heiress of the country's dominant political dynasty.

During a brief ceremony open to media Suriya declined to respond to queries asking how he felt about his ephemeral leadership, which caps a decades-long political career.

He said his most urgent business had been to “sign a paper” ensuring a smooth transition to his successor on Thursday.

The Constitutional Court said on Tuesday there was “sufficient cause to suspect” Paetongtarn breached ministerial ethics in a diplomatic spat with Cambodia, suspending her pending a probe that may last months.