The court suspended Paetongtarn (left) from prime ministerial duties on July 1 after receiving a complaint by a group of senators, which accuses her of breaching ethical standards following remarks made in a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen (right) about the two countries' border standoff. - The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: Thailand's Constitutional Court gave suspended premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra until Aug 4 to submit her defence in a high-profile ethics case that could see her ousted over the handling of a border dispute.
The extension is final, and the court will proceed with the case regardless of whether it receives her defence, the court said in a statement Wednesday (July 30). The court had previously granted Paetongtarn a two-week extension until July 31 to file her defence.
The court suspended Paetongtarn from prime ministerial duties on July 1 after receiving a complaint by a group of senators, which accuses her of breaching ethical standards following remarks made in a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen about the two countries' border standoff.
Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of billionaire and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, could be disqualified and removed from office if the court rules against her.
She came to power in August last year after her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was ousted in a similar ethics-related case over an appointment of a cabinet minister. - Bloomberg
