BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin could be thrown out of office this week when the country’s Constitutional Court rules on his appointment of a Cabinet minister with a criminal conviction.
The case comes a week after the same court disbanded the kingdom’s main opposition political party and banned its former leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, from politics for a decade.
Srettha is accused of violating ethics rules by appointing Pichit Chuenban, a lawyer closely associated with the family of billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as a minister.
Pichit was sentenced to six months in prison in 2008 for a corruption-related offence.
Pichit resigned from his role in a bid to protect Srettha, but the Constitutional Court still agreed to hear the case, initiated by a complaint from army-appointed senators.
Srettha, whose Pheu Thai leads a multi-party coalition government, has said Pichit underwent thorough vetting.
The PM has suggested the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle if he remains in office, according to local media.
If he is removed from office, Pheu Thai would have to nominate a new candidate for prime minister.
The Constitutional Court has dismissed prime ministers in the past, but analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak said he does not expect the prime minister to be kicked out.
“I think he will survive because it is hard to find a replacement,” he told AFP.
“He also hasn’t done anything wrong and he is hardworking.”
