THAILAND’S Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office today pending an ethics investigation into a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian leader.

The judges voted unanimously to accept the petition accusing her of a breach of ethics and voted by seven to two to suspend her from duty as prime minister. The court gave Ms Shinawatra 15 days to give evidence to support her case.

She has faced growing dissatisfaction over her handling of the latest border dispute with Cambodia, involving an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed. 

The leaked phone call, made while she engaged in diplomacy over the border dispute, set off a string of complaints and public protests.

There was no immediate reaction from Ms Shinawatra to the court order. She said on Monday that she would accept and follow the process, although she didn’t want to see her work interrupted.

Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit is expected to become acting prime minister.

Earlier today, King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed a cabinet reshuffle trigged by a major party leaving Ms Shinawatra’s coalition government over the leaked phone call.

The reshuffle replaced former deputy prime minister Anutin Charvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party.

Ms Shinawatra was culture minister as well as prime minister in the new cabinet. It’s unclear whether she can retain that role.

She also faces investigations over an alleged breach of ethics by the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, whose decision could also lead to her removal.

Last year, the Constitutional Court removed her predecessor from office over a breach of ethics. 

Thailand’s courts, especially the Constitutional Court, are viewed as a bulwark of the royalist Establishment, which has used them and nominally independent agencies such as the Election Commission to cripple or sink political opponents.