Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38 years old, is the suspended prime minister of Thailand and currently holds the position of culture minister. She is the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Ms. Paetongtarn left the position of Thai Prime Minister on July 1 after a group of Senators filed a complaint with the Thai Constitutional Court accusing her of violating ethical standards due to her leaked statements in a call to President of the Cambodian Senate Hun Sen about the Thailand - Cambodia border tension.
In the announcement on July 30, the court said that this was Ms. Paetongtarn's final extension. Regardless of whether Ms. Paetongtarn's defense is received or not, the trial will continue.
The Thai court had previously extended the deadline by two weeks, until July 31, for Ms. Paetongtarn to submit her defense.
If the court issues an unfavorable ruling, she could be stripped of her authority and dismissed.
Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra took office last August after her predecessor, Mr. Srettha Thavisin, was ousted in a case also related to ethics, revolving around the appointment of a cabinet minister.
On July 29, a Thai political activist filed a petition to the country's Election Commission to dissolve seven political parties for allegedly allowing Mr. Thaksin to interfere in internal affairs, an act that was considered a violation of the law on party organization.
