Thai premier suspended over leaked audio amid border dispute with Cambodia

The court accepted charges against Paetongtarn over her phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen for deliberation and suspended her from duty as prime minister.

A group of 36 senators filed the charges – accepted by all nine members of the court – accusing her of "gross ethical misconduct and dishonesty" in connection with the call.

The court order follows the leak of a phone call between Paetongtarn and Cambodian Senate head Hun Sen in which the Thai leader allegedly criticized her country’s military, specifically the 2nd Army Region commander, over escalating border tensions with Cambodia.

Paetongtarn's suspension came hours after King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed a reshuffle in the Cabinet following the exit of a key party from the ruling coalition.

She has 15 days to defend herself, state-run Thai PBS reported.

"I made the phone call in the national interest,” Paetongtarn said after the court order, stressing that she made "no personal gain" from the conversation.

Paetongtarn, 38, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected Thailand's youngest and only second woman prime minister last August.

The phone call “might have offended some people. But I will prove that it was 100% my effort to protect the national interest,” she told journalists at the Government House in Bangkok.

Two of the nine justices voted against suspending her.

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit will serve as acting prime minister until the royal endorsement of Phumtham Wechayachai as deputy prime minister and interior minister, set for Thursday.

In the changed Cabinet, Paetongtarn was set to serve as culture minister and endorsement is set for the same day, but it remains unclear whether the top court order affects that role.

The eight new nominations for the Cabinet became necessary after the Bhumjaithai Party, the second-largest partner in the previous ruling bloc, withdrew its support last month.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been simmering since May 28, when troops exchanged fire along the frontier, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead.

The two Southeast Asian nations have since closed their borders.