On 29 August, Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after ruling that she had violated ethical standards in connection with a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. The decision makes her the fourth affiliated-member of the Shinawatra family to see their term cut short by either a military coup or court ruling. Shinawatra’s removal also reflects a broader trend in Thai politics, where Shinawatra-affiliated public and other reformist figures have been removed from office by conservative or military-aligned forces.

Sources: International IDEA, The Associated Press, CNN, The Bangkok Post

Armed conflict broke out on the Cambodia-Thailand border on 24 July, killing at least 38 people (including at least 13 civilians), wounding over 200, and displacing at least 300,000 on both sides of the border. The violence broke out after civilians and soldiers from both Cambodia and Thailand engaged in minor altercations and clashes over temples in a long-contested border region. These clashes strained diplomatic tensions as well, and violence continued until acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed to an unconditional ceasefire on 28 July. No ceasefire violations have been independently confirmed since. The violence is the worst between the two countries since 40 soldiers and civilians died in armed clashes over the same contested temples and borders between 2011 and 2013.

Sources: Associated Press, The Diplomat, The Guardian, Human Rights Watch

On 1 July, Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office due to her conduct revealed in a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen aimed at diffusing ongoing border dispute with Cambodia. Critics highlighted her alleged deference toward Hun Sen, alongside her criticism of a Thai army commander. The petition, launched by 36 senators, accuses Paetongtarn of ‘violating the constitution and breaching ethical standards.’ As a result of the leak, the conservative Bhumjaithai Party withdrew from the government’s ruling coalition in June, leaving it with a slim majority. Moreover, the National Anti-Corruption Commission launched a separate investigation into the matter on 14 July–a ruling in which could lead to a lifetime ban from politics, with a ruling expected by December 2025. Paetongtarn was suspended from her prime ministerial duties until the Court reached a verdict in the ethics probe, but remained in cabinet. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai assumed the role of acting prime minister. 

Sources: The Bangkok Post, The Diplomat, Al Jazeera 

On 27 February, Thai authorities deported at least 40 Uyghur detainees to China after having detained them for over a decade. The decision has been widely condemned by rights experts and the United Nations, citing concern that those forcibly returned face a high risk of torture, prolonged detention and ill-treatment by the Chinese government. The 40 Uyghurs were among a group of 300 Uyghurs apprehended by Thai authorities for illegal entry in 2014, after fleeing persecution and discrimination in China’s Xinjiang region. Many of those detained in 2014 were subsequently deported in 2015. The UNHCHR stated that it had repeatedly requested access to the detainees in Thailand and had received assurances that they would not be forcibly returned. Conversely, the Thai government maintains that the deportations were carried out in accordance with international standards and that Chinese authorities had assured them individuals would be properly treated.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Bangkok Post, UN News, ICJ

In February, the National Anti-Corruption Commission announced plans to indict 44 former Member of Parliaments (MPs) from the now-dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP) for sponsoring a bill in parliament to reform Thailand’s lese majesty law. Among them, 25 are now part of MFP’s successor, the People’s Party. If found guilty, they could face a lifetime ban from politics. The indictment comes after the Constitutional Court dissolved MFP in August 2024. The accused MPs maintain that their support for amending the lese majesty was legal, emphasizing that lawmakers have the authority to propose new laws. The commission will now question the 44 MPS before referring the case to the Supreme Court or public prosecutors.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, The diplomat, Bangkok Post, Thai PBS, International IDEA

In January, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry allocated approximately THB 145 million (USD 4.3 million) to the National Health Security Office to provide health services, including hormone therapy, to around 200,000 transgender individuals. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak stated that this initiative aligns with the government’s marriage equality policy and aims to reduce health disparities by providing free services. Previously, transgender individuals were required to pay for these services themselves, which health experts warned led to people using hormones without medical supervision.

Sources: Bangkok Post, Human Rights Watch, Thaiger