Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra - the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - was accused of violating professional ethics in a June phone call with Mr. Hun Sen. The Constitutional Court of Thailand suspended Ms. Paetongtarn from her position as Prime Minister nearly 2 months ago.
The verdict is expected to be announced at 3:00 p.m. on August 29. Being acquitted will help her return to power until the end of her term in 2027.
However, Ms. Paetongtarn (39 years old) could also become the 5th Thai Prime Minister in 17 years of being deposed by the Constitutional Court. If Paetongtarn is found guilty, her term as Thailand's youngest prime minister will end after just over a year in power.
If Ms. Paetongtarn is removed from office, a series of negotiations are expected before the parliament of this country can choose the next prime minister. Thailand's next Prime Minister after Ms. Paetongtarn could come from the ruling coalition of the Pheu Thai Party or even from the opposition.
There are 5 candidates eligible to become Prime Minister of Thailand from the list of candidates before the 2023 election. Of these, only 1 candidate from Pheu Thai is Chaikasem Nitisiri, 77, former head of the province. Other candidates include former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and former Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Thailand's ruling Pheu Thai Party has expressed confidence that Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra will win the lawsuit. "The Party is concerned, but we still believe in the Prime Minister's integrity and the explanation she has submitted to the Constitutional Court. Our role is to respect the court's ruling and express our full support to the prime minister," said Pheu Thai spokesperson Danuphorn Punnakanta.
After being suspended from the position of Thai prime minister, Ms. Paetongtarn continues to hold the position of culture minister. She told the cabinet earlier this week that she hopes to return as prime minister on August 29.
If Paetongtarn is found guilty, she would become the third member of the Shinawatra family to be removed from office as prime minister. Thaksin's second term was shortened by a 2006 coup. His younger sister - Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra - was ousted by the Constitutional Court in 2014, a few weeks before another coup.
Mr. Titipol Phakdeewanich - a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand - commented that if Ms. Paetongtarn wins the trial on August 29, this will be a sign that the military - royal court will still support Mr. Thaksin.
The August 29 ruling of the Thai Constitutional Court is one of a series of legal barriers for the Shinawatra family. Last week, Thaksin escaped prison after the court declared him innocent of his charges in a military lawsuit. In September, another court will decide whether prison sentences for corruption and abuse of power will be properly implemented.
