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Paetongtarn Shinawatra Removal has shaken Thailand’s political landscape after the Constitutional Court ruled against her in an ethics case linked to a leaked Cambodia phone call. The Paetongtarn Shinawatra Removal marks the third ousting of a Shinawatra from the prime minister’s office, underlining Thailand’s recurring cycle of political turmoil. As the youngest-ever PM and daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, her exit adds another chapter to the family’s controversial history. The Paetongtarn Shinawatra Removal highlights the tensions between democratic forces, the military, and the courts in shaping Thailand’s future.

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00:00Another Prime Minister has fallen in Thailand, and once again, it's the Shinwa name at the heart of the storm.
00:07Paitothan Shinwa, Thailand's youngest ever Prime Minister, daughter of the controversial Thaksin Shinwa,
00:13has been ousted by the Constitutional Court.
00:16The charge? An ethics violation sparked by one leaked phone call with Cambodia's veteran politician Hoon Singh.
00:25A call that has now cost her the highest office in the land.
00:30Thailand's politics is no stranger to drama.
00:33Coos, court rulings, mass protests, they have all become part of the nation's political rhythm.
00:40Paitothan was the third person from her family to lead Thailand, and the second woman after her aunt, Yingluck Shinwa.
00:48But she has lasted barely a year in office before the court voted 6-3 to remove her,
00:54ruling that she had failed to uphold ethics standards and damaged Thailand's reputation.
01:02So the question is, who is Paitothan?
01:05Known by her nickname, Ong Ying, Paitothan was born into wealth, power, and politics.
01:12The Shinwa family, of Chinese Thai descent, has dominated Thai politics for over two decades now,
01:19winning multiple elections and shaping the nation's economic course.
01:23Her father, Thaksin Shinwa, remains a towering figure,
01:27despite being toppled in a coup back in 2006 and spending years in exile.
01:32Educated in Bangkok and later in the UK, Paitothan first carved a career in hospitality and business
01:40before stepping into politics in 2021.
01:43By 2023, she was leading the Few Thai Party,
01:47campaigning against the military-backed establishment even while pregnant,
01:52a move that won her widespread admiration.
01:54When her predecessor, Shretha Thavisin, was removed by the Constitutional Court,
02:01Paitothan rose as the compromise choice,
02:04with backing from both her party and a reluctant coalition that included military allies.
02:10At just 37, she became the face of a new generation.
02:15So, what went wrong?
02:17The answer lies on Thailand's long and tense border with Cambodia.
02:22The two nations have sparred for decades over disputed territory,
02:26especially around ancient temples.
02:29In recent months, the issue flared up again,
02:31with clashes, gunfire and mass displacement of civilians.
02:36In the middle of all this crisis came the now infamous phone call.
02:41Paitung Khan spoke directly to Hoon Sen,
02:43who is Cambodia's powerful ex-Trime Minister
02:46and now President of its Senate and an old ally of her father.
02:51In that phone call, she criticized a Thai military commander
02:55and even referred to her own army as the opposite side.
02:59She addressed Hoon Sen warmly as uncle
03:02and seemed to make conciliatory gesture towards Cambodia.
03:07Hoon Sen later released the recording, claiming he was exposing the truth.
03:11For Thai nationalists, it was nothing short of betrayal.
03:14Critics accused Paitung Khan for replacing personal ties
03:19and family friendship above national interests.
03:23Hence, the fallout.
03:24The reaction was swift, of course.
03:27A coalition partner withdrew support first.
03:31Senators filed a petition accusing her of breaching ethics.
03:35And in July this year, the court suspended her.
03:38This week, the axe fell completely.
03:41The Constitutional Court ruling that she had acted in Cambodia's interest
03:45and not Thailand's.
03:47It's a familiar pattern in Thai politics.
03:50The Shinoas have repeatedly clashed with Thailand's powerful military
03:54and conservative elites.
03:57Thaksin was ousted.
03:58His sister Yungluck was ousted.
04:00And now Paitung Khan joins the same list.
04:04So, what does this mean?
04:05For ordinary thighs, the removal deepens the sense of instability.
04:11Thailand has cycled through prime ministers like a revolving door,
04:15with courts and coups shaping governments more than the voters do.
04:20For the Shinoas loyalists, it's yet another reminder
04:23that no matter how many elections they win,
04:27the establishment will not let them govern for long.
04:31But this episode is unique.
04:32Unlike previous ousters that centered on corruption and populist policies,
04:38Paitung Khan's downfall is tied to foreign relations
04:42and a phone call that crossed the line between diplomacy and disloyalty.
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