Report Paetongtarn Shinawatra Court Hearing Set for 21 August

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Thailand's suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

BANGKOK - The court-suspended prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is set to testify before the Constitutional Court next Thursday. This comes after an impeachment lawsuit connected to a leaked phone conversation with Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The chitchat has sparked allegations of treason involving a breach of the ethical code during the Thai-Cambodian border conflict last June.

 

Prommin Lertsuridej, secretary-general to the beleaguered prime minister, revealed that Paetongtarn, daughter of the influential Thaksin Shinawatra, will likely attend the court hearing on 21 August. The allegations suggest she compromised evident honesty, which could lead to her impeachment and removal from office.

 

Alongside Paetongtarn, National Security Council Secretary-General Chatchai Bangchuad is also summoned to testify. The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on this high-stakes case on 29 August. Meanwhile, there are whispers suggesting that Thaksin Shinawatra, the influential figure behind Pheu Thai, is discreetly supporting his daughter amid this legal turmoil, as reported by Thai Newsroom.

 

Thaksin, known for his strategic manoeuvres, allegedly continues to leverage his resources to influence Paetongtarn's trial's outcome. The judges are anticipated to reach a narrow decision, possibly 5:4 or 6:3 in favour of the prime minister, who has been temporarily barred from performing her duties pending the court's decision.

 

Back in 2001, Thaksin narrowly escaped impeachment in a wealth concealment case. The court ruled in his favour with a tight 8-7 decision, citing an "inadvertent mistake." Despite his controversial past, including a 2006 coup that led to his exile and recent return, Thaksin remains a pivotal figure in Thai politics.

 

Looking ahead, the Supreme Court plans to deliver a judgement on September 9 regarding Thaksin's unauthorised exit from prison to a hospital. The former leader's manoeuvres to orchestrate a Pheu Thai-led government through covert negotiations remain under scrutiny. This turbulent period in Thai politics continues to unfold, with critical implications for the Shinawatra legacy.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai Newsroom 2025-08-16