Thailand’s former prime minister resigns as Pheu Thai Party leader

By Anadolu staff

Thailand’s former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resigned Wednesday as the leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, according to local media.

Announcing her decision, Paetongtarn said she will continue to serve as a party member, the Thai Enquirer reported.

“Pheu Thai, as one of the country’s main political forces, must evolve to strengthen its capacity to serve the people and guide the nation through change,” she said in a statement.

She added that stepping down would give the party the freedom to carry out reforms and build “a more complete and modern Pheu Thai.”

In August, the Constitutional Court dismissed Paetongtarn for an ethics violation after it ruled that in a phone call she had with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, she compromised national interests by making guarantees about a border dispute and criticizing a Thai military general.

The dismissal marks the latest turbulence for Thailand’s political establishment, which has seen repeated clashes between elected leaders and the judiciary since the ouster of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.