A Thai court ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down yesterday after finding her guilty of abusing her power, prolonging a political crisis that has led to violent protests and brought the economy close to recession.
The decision is bound to anger supporters of Yingluck, but the court did allow ministers not implicated in the case against her to stay in office, a decision that could take some of the sting out of any backlash on the streets.
After the ruling, the cabinet said Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan, who is also a deputy prime minister, would replace Yingluck, and the caretaker government would press ahead with plans for a July 20 election.
I hope the political situation will not heat up after this
“The caretaker government’s responsibility now is to organise an election as soon as possible,” said Niwatthamrong, a former executive in a company owned by Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s brother and himself a former prime minister who was ousted by the military in 2006.
“I hope the political situation will not heat up after this,” Niwatthamrong said of the court ruling.
Thailand’s protracted political crisis broadly pits Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment against mainly poor, rural supporters of Yingluck and Thaksin, who lives in exile to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for abuse of power. Yingluck, who faced six months of sometimes deadly protests in the capital, Bangkok, aimed at toppling her government and ending the considerable political influence of her brother, thanked the Thai people in a televised news conference.
“Throughout my time as prime minister I have given my all to my work for the benefit of my countrymen. I have never committed any unlawful acts as I have been accused of doing,” Yingluck said, smiling and outwardly upbeat.
“From now on, no matter what situation I am in, I will walk on the path of democracy. I am sad that I will not be able to serve you after this.”
Despite Yingluck’s removal from power, there is no obvious end in sight to the turmoil in Thailand, with protesters opposed to Yingluck and her government still pushing for political reforms before new elections. The judge who delivered the verdict at the Constitutional Court said Yingluck had abused her position by transferring a security chief to another post in 2011 so that a relative could benefit from subsequent job moves.