Top court to rule on disqualifying PM on Aug 29
The court will read out the verdict at 3pm local time, it said in a statement on Wednesday. The court previously suspended Paetongtarn from office on July 1 until it ruled on the case.
The case stems from a complaint lodged by a group of senators around comments Paetongtarn had made in a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen about a border standoff.
In the call, Paetongtarn was heard blaming the Thai army for escalating tensions by restricting border checkpoints, which sparked protests in Thailand and calls for her to resign. She later apologised for the remarks.
If found guilty, Paetongtarn will be permanently removed from office, a development that's set to deepen an ongoing political crisis in Thailand. — Bloomberg
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
44 minutes ago
- The Star
Malaysia's role in Thai-Cambodia border talks shows depth of bilateral trust, says Thai Ambassador
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (left) and Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai (right) shake hands as Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gestures after talks on a possible ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Monday, July 28, 2025. The AICHR workshops will use a case study simulation to explore practical applications of Asean's peace initiatives. - AP KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Malaysia's role as facilitator in the recent Thai-Cambodia border negotiations is a testament to the trust and strength underpinning the bilateral partnership between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, Thailand's Ambassador to Malaysia, Lada Phumas, said. "The ceasefire agreement, followed by the extraordinary Thailand-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 7, reflected not only Malaysia's constructive diplomacy but also Thailand's confidence in "a friend like Malaysia', she said. She made the remarks in her keynote address at the Thailand-Malaysia Strategic Dialogue, held on Friday and co-hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia. On Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship, Lada pointed out that it presents a timely opportunity to advance regional priorities and strengthen Aseancentrality. "Asean remains our common platform and shield. With Malaysia leading in 2025, we have the chance to promote unity in diversity with people at its core,' she said. As Thailand's Asean Chairmanship in 2028 will follow the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2027, Lada said this offers a strategic opportunity for both countries to coordinate more closely. "Together, we can ensure continuity in Asean's agenda, push forward connectivity projects, and deepen regional integration. We must also project a strong voice on the global stage to shape a prosperous future,' she added. On Thailand-Malaysia Strategic Dialogue, Lada said discussions are expected to help guide the development of the Thailand-Malaysia Strategic Vision 2027. She outlined three key areas of focus namely strengthening political trust through sustained dialogue, deepening economic resilience through trade, investment and innovation, and improving infrastructure and people-to-people mobility. "By completing physical and logistics infrastructure and enhancing digital and border linkages, we can future-proof our economies and empower border communities,' she said. Meanwhile, ISIS Malaysia Chairman Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah said building trust between Thailand and Cambodia will be a difficult but essential step following the border tensions. He said while ceasefires had taken place and efforts to develop more coherent monitoring mechanisms were ongoing, the path ahead remained susceptible to risks, especially if political will falters. He said Malaysia's role in easing tensions last month, led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the support of other leaders, was far from routine, but driven by its commitment as Asean Chair and as a brotherly neighbour and friend to both Thailand and Cambodia "There may be reasons for us not to take the next steps together, but there is always a greater reason to move forward together, hand in hand,' he said. - Bernama
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
China urges Cambodia and Thailand to restore peace at the border
BEIJING (Reuters): China urged Cambodia and Thailand to continue efforts towards restoring a lasting peace at their border as soon as possible, a Chinese foreign ministry statement said on Friday as it summarised an earlier trilateral meeting. In the statement, China reiterated its support for the Southeast Asia nations to achieve a sustainable ceasefire after the worst clashes in their long-running border dispute in more than a decade. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Thai and Cambodian counterparts on Thursday for a discussion on the sidelines of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in China's southwestern Yunnan province. At the regional meeting, Wang proposed deepening cooperation in agriculture, water resources, environmental governance as well as in new fields such as energy storage, electric vehicles and photovoltaics. He also spoke about greater law enforcement cooperation including setting up a platform for the protection of overseas citizens, without specifying which nationalities, and working together to tackle cross-border crime. The meeting also discussed establishing a legal and judicial exchange and cooperation mechanism as soon as possible, the Chinese ministry readouts showed. Separately, Wang had an informal meeting with his counterparts from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos on Friday, at which he said China hoped that Myanmar would hold a fair election and restore stability. Myanmar's military this month nominally transferred power to a civilian-led interim administration to conduct an election in December and January, four years after it removed the elected civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from office, sparking a civil war. Describing the regional security situation as "not optimistic", the Chinese minister reinforced a message of strengthening joint operations for border control, according to one of the statements. (Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Kate Mayberry) - Reuters
Malaysian Reserve
3 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Swiss economy unexpectedly expanded before 39% tariff hit
SWITZERLAND'S economy unexpectedly grew in the second quarter, maintaining some momentum before the country was hit with one of the highest US tariff rates. The expansion of 0.1% was better than the contraction of 0.1% forecast by economists in a Bloomberg survey. It follows a 0.8% pace in the previous three months, a growth spurt driven by exporters front-loading sales to the US before trade levies kicked in. The positive figures come as the country digests US President Donald Trump's imposition of a painful 39% tariff on Switzerland — the steepest among developed nations. Despite that rate, analysts are optimistic that a recession can be avoided. The Swiss government is still negotiating to try to secure a lower level. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the US aims to largely wrap up talks with countries that haven't secured a trade deal by the end of October. Swiss officials see this as a hopeful signal that they have a chance to get better terms by then. The figures published Friday, which are adjusted for large sports events, are an initial estimate. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said a 'negative performance in industry has been counterbalanced by gains in the services sector.' A separate Bloomberg survey this week predicted that the Swiss economy will grow 1.4% this year — outpacing the euro zone — assuming a lower levy can still be hammered out with Washington and the key pharmaceutical industry escapes significant surcharges. The Swiss government is similarly bullish, maintaining its June prediction for expansion that's roughly in line with the consensus. It did at that time, however, also publish a negative scenario with growth of just 0.8%. Some companies are assessing whether to move some production outside Switzerland to avoid the latest tariffs. Medicines — currently exempt from tariffs — are a large unknown after Trump warned that he plans to announce measures on the sector. Pharma giants Roche Holding AG and Novartis AG discussed the situation Thursday with the Swiss government. 'With a 39% tariff also on pharmaceuticals and pressure on drug prices in the US, two negative effects would combine, leading to a significant slowdown in GDP growth in Switzerland,' Hans Gersbach, co-head of Zurich's KOF research institute, said this week. 'A risk of recession could then not be ruled out.' Friday's data strip out big sports events as they can distort the overall picture of the Swiss economy. The country is home to many global sports bodies, meaning that when, for instance, the Olympic Games take place — earning revenue for the International Olympic Committee — Swiss GDP gets a boost without economic activity benefiting. A final reading is due on Aug. 28. –BLOOMBERG
