Thailand's Prime Minister Zapped By Court & Suspended
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's politically powerful Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on July 1 after accepting a case of alleged "ethical misconduct" against her because she criticized a Royal Thai Army commander in her leaked phone call with Cambodia's de facto leader Hun Sen during their deadly border feud.
Ms. Paetongtarn's suspension came after the two countries briefly clashed on May 28 and Thai troops shot dead a Cambodian soldier in the Emerald Triangle where eastern Thailand, northern Cambodia, and southern Laos meet.
Ms. Paetongtarn apologized to the public and insisted she had "no ill intentions" when she clumsily tried to "negotiate" with Cambodia's battle-hardened Senate President Hun Sen .
The Constitutional Court gave her 15 days to defend herself.
Meanwhile, to run this increasingly troubled Southeast Asian nation, she appointed her Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit to become caretaker prime minister while the court decide during the next several weeks.