Thai court suspends PM in ethics violation case

Thailand's Constitutional Court has temporarily suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office until it rules on a petition seeking her ouster for alleged ethical violations — the biggest blow yet to her less-than one-year-old government.

- Agencies

BANGKOK:

Paetongtarn's powers have been suspended from Tuesday while the nine-member court considers the petition by a group of senators, it said in a statement. The decision to suspend her duties was backed by seven out of nine judges, according to the statement.

The petitioners allege that the prime minister's comments in a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen constitute a violation of ethical standards — grounds that could lead to her disqualification.

The case is the latest in a series of legal challenges faced by Paetongtarn, who came to power after her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was ousted last year in a similar ethics-related case.