Court sets deadline for Paetongtarn to file defence
The extension is final, and the court will proceed with the case regardless of whether it receives her defence, the court said in a statement Wednesday. The court had previously granted Ms Paetongtarn, 38, a two-week extension until July 31 to file her defence.
The court suspended Ms Paetongtarn, now a culture minister, from prime ministerial duties on July 1 after receiving a complaint by a group of senators, which accuses her of breaching ethical standards following remarks made in a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen about the two countries' border standoff.
Ms Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of billionaire and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, could be disqualified and removed from office if the court rules against her.
She came to power in August last year after her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was ousted in a similar ethics-related case over an appointment of a cabinet minister.
On Tuesday, a political activist lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC), urging it to disband seven political parties for allegedly allowing Thaksin to interfere in their internal affairs, in violation of the organic law on political parties.
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