Paetongtarn suspended; interim PM plan in place, new ministers to take oath July 3

Constitutional Court orders Paetongtarn’s suspension. Suriya to act as interim PM while new ministers await royal oath-taking on July 3.

The Office of the Secretariat of the Cabinet has prepared a contingency plan in the event that the Constitutional Court accepts the petition filed by the Senate and orders Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to suspend her duties, a source revealed on Tuesday.

The group of senators asked the court to remove Paetongtarn as prime minister on charges of sedition that allegedly affected the country’s sovereignty, as she was heard attacking the commander of the Second Army Area as “the opponent” during a phone conversation with former Cambodian PM Hun Sen.

The source said Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit has been designated to assume the role of acting Prime Minister in place of Paetongtarn. He will have full authority and will need to bring the matter to the Cabinet meeting to appoint a new Deputy Prime Minister who will be responsible for personnel and budget matters.The source added that the Secretary-General of the Cabinet expressed concern over this unprecedented situation, particularly as it would be the first time in Thailand’s history that a Prime Minister is suspended while a new Cabinet swears an oath of office.

This would require the acting Prime Minister to bring the new Cabinet in to take the oath on July 3, 2025, in place of the suspended Prime Minister. The matter has already been consulted with the Office of the Council of State.

The Royal Command for the new Cabinet appoints Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, to be removed from his position and reassigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. Additionally, Narumon Pinyosinwat will be moved from Minister of Agriculture to Minister of Education, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol from Minister of Culture to Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, and Dej-is Khaothong from Deputy Minister of Public Health to Deputy Minister of the Interior.

These four ministers will need to take the oath of office on July 3 before assuming their new positions. According to the constitutional principle, even if only one position changes, ministers in other positions will also need to relinquish their prior roles.

(2025/07/01-00:00)