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Thailand's Political Turmoil

  • Writer: Mohammad Wasim
    Mohammad Wasim
  • Aug 4
  • 3 min read

Updated: Aug 28

(Transly Translation Agency/Unsplash)
(Transly Translation Agency/Unsplash)

Thailand has found itself entangled in political instability following the most acute governmental crisis the country has seen in months. The situation reached its climax in early July, when Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office by Thailand's Constitutional Court, pending an investigation into ethics over a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian leader, Hun Sen.


The Immediate Crisis


Three days after Shinawatra’s suspension, the country began to change leaders. After the July 1st suspension Shinawatra, who had only held office for 10 months, was replaced in a span of two days. Initially, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the Deputy Prime Minister, took over as acting Prime Minister. However, this quickly changed on July 3rd when, due to a cabinet reshuffling, Phumtham Wechayachai was sworn in as acting Prime Minister. As a result of the reshuffling, Shinawatra was sworn in as a cabinet member, a maneuver allowing her to attend ministerial meetings while awaiting the results of a court review.


The phone call that began this series of events was a 17-minute conversation between Shinawatra and the former President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, in an effort to address fatal border disputes. Sen admitted to recording and distributing the audio clip of the private conversation, but said that it was necessary for transparency in official matters. He furthered this by posting part of the clip on Facebook and sharing the full recording with 80 officials. The conversation sparked controversy about Shinawatra’s deferential approach to diplomacy. Shinawatra was heard referring to Sen as “uncle,” and assuring him that if there is anything he wants she will “take care of it”. Additionally, Shinawatra was caught criticizing Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, the commander of Thailand's Second Army Region, who has played a key role in ongoing border disputes, referring to him as an opponent who simply “just wanted to look tough.”


The phone call sparked public outcry in the form of protests as citizens demanded the removal of the Prime Minister from office under phrases such as, “Ung Ing, get out” (Ung Ing being the former Prime Minister's nickname). In a press conference following the decision, Shinawatra stated, “I want to make it clear that my intentions were more than 100% sincere — I acted for the country, to protect our sovereignty, to safeguard the lives of our soldiers, and to preserve peace in our nation. I also want to apologize to all my fellow Thais who may feel uneasy or upset about this matter,”.

Economic Implications


The suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has created immediate economic turbulence. Fresh doubts about Thailand's economy are emerging as the ruling coalition frays and the Thai baht weakening 0.61% over the past month, with projections of further depreciation to 35.50 per USD by year-end, and the banning of the Move Forward Party - House of Commons Library. The crisis has hindered the development of key economic policies, such as the 500 billion baht digital wallet stimulus program, which has faced significant delays and funding concerns because ongoing court proceedings exacerbate uncertainty about the government’s leadership and policy direction. With a significant undermining of investor confidence, Thailand's political instability threatens to derail its road to economic recovery.


Political/International Implications


Despite Thailand’s political crisis, a negotiation was made between Thailand and the Trump Administration to reduce tariffs from 36% to 19%, like many of its neighbors just two days before the August 1 deadline Trump had set. However, domestic issues still persist as protests arose for the second time in over a month, calling for the removal of Shinawatra entirely. This protest was further inspired by a five day clash between Thailand and Cambodia, which ended in a ceasefire. The conflict resulted in the deaths of at least 35 people and the displacement of 270,000 people. Protests have also occurred in Cambodia, calling for the return of the 18 soldiers captured by Thailand after the ceasefire as tensions persist between both nations.


 
 
 

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