Embattled Thai PM Reshuffles Cabinet Amid Crisis Over Leaked Phone Call

Move follows loss of main coalition partner as she faces threat of removal from office

- 

BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra began a Cabinet reshuffle on June 23 as a political and judicial crisis sparked by a leaked phone call threatens to sink her government.

The 38-year-old daughter of controversial former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra began handing out ministerial posts vacated when her main coalition partner quit last week — a move that nearly took her government down.

Ms Paetongtarn, in office for less than a year, is hanging on by a thread, and, on top of the party horse-trading, she now faces a Constitutional Court case that could see her barred from office.

There were demands for her to step down or call an election last week as critics accused her of undermining the country and insulting the army during the leaked call with Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen, which focused on a festering border dispute.

The conservative Bhumjaithai party quit the governing coalition led by Ms Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party over the call, leaving it with a wafer-thin majority.

But the crisis stabilised as other coalition partners said they would stay, and Pheu Thai secretary-general Sorawong Thienthong told AFP on June 23 that all 10 remaining parties were sticking with the government.

"None of the other parties are pulling out — the remaining parties are staying united with the government," Mr Sorawong said.