Mr. Srettha was found to have broken the “rules on ethics” by “the display of defiant behaviour,” according to the Constitutional Court.
Srettha, who was prime minister for less than a year, is 62 years old and is the third prime minister to be removed by the same court in 16 years.
An interim leader will take over for him until Thailand’s parliament meets to choose a new prime minister.
“I have faith in my sincerity… At a press conference held soon after the ruling, he expressed regret, but he did not dispute with the decision. The decision of the court is final and cannot be challenged.
With his expulsion, Mr. Srettha has now followed in the footsteps of numerous other Thai parties and administrations, falling victim to the disproportionate authority of the nation’s constitutional court.Thailand’s political system is notoriously unethical; bribery is rampant, and ministers with more serious offenses have been permitted to hold office in the past.While it’s unclear exactly who pushed for the decision, the majority of Thais will view it as a political one.In May, the court received a petition from more than forty senators asking for the PM’s removal from office due to his nomination of Pichit Chuenban, who had been imprisoned for six months for attempted bribery.
