Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will not attend the Constitutional Court on Friday for the ruling in the Hun Sen phone-call case. She will monitor the outcome from Government House.
Somkid Chueakong, deputy prime minister’s secretary-general, said Ms. Paetongtarn would arrive at Government House around noon on Friday to await the ruling.
She will be joined by Pheu Thai cabinet ministers, while party MPs are expected between 3pm and 4pm to show support. Her legal team will be at the court to hear the verdict, Mr. Somkid said.
The court suspended Ms. Paetongtarn while reviewing a petition by 36 senators accusing her of breaching ethics during a phone call with Cambodian senate leader and former prime minister Hun Sen. The decision is due Friday.
If found guilty, Ms. Paetongtarn, 39, would be the third Shinawatra removed from office. Her father Thaksin was toppled in the 2006 coup, while her aunt Yingluck was ousted by the court in 2014, weeks before another coup.
Mr. Somkid dismissed rumours that Pheu Thai was preparing to spend 2 billion baht to buy MPs’ votes.
“This is just speculation. The coalition numbers remain the same. If the ruling comes out negative, we will vote for Chaikasem Nitisiri, another Pheu Thai candidate. If positive, the government continues as normal. The govenrment is not worried,” he said.
Mr. Chaikasem, 77, a former attorney-general, was one of three prime ministerial candidates nominated by Pheu Thai when the government was formed.
Mr. Somkid said the coalition remained firm. “There’s no reason to flip sides. Even if Bhumjaithai nominates a candidate, without Pheu Thai’s support nothing moves forward. Do you think the People’s Party would vote for them? And even if they did, would it be enough? The risk is too high,” he said.
Asked about a coalition dinner to reaffirm ties, he said it had not been discussed, though party whips had spoken on legislation.
“Buying votes is something people can think about, but cannot do,” Mr Somkid said.
He brushed off concerns about stability, saying the government’s survival depends on performance, not pressure. He added the next election would likely be held before May 2027.
On claims about a 2-billion-baht plot, he quipped: “Save your money, instead, for your children’s snacks.”
