BAngkok- Thailand’s Constitutional Court has dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra after ruling that she violated ethics during a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen. In the June call, she referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and criticized the Thai army while border tensions with Cambodia were rising.

The court said her remarks suggested personal ties that could align with Cambodia’s interests over Thailand’s, casting doubt on her loyalty. By a six-to-three vote, judges concluded her actions breached ethical standards required of her office.

Paetongtarn, daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, becomes the fifth Thai leader removed by the court since 2008 and the third Shinawatra forced out of office. She defended her actions as an attempt to prevent violence during the conflict, which later escalated into five days of clashes that killed dozens and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Her removal comes just months after she rose to power following the dismissal of her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin. Soon after the ruling, the conservative Bhumjaithai Party said it had secured enough support to form a new government under leader Anutin Charnvirakul.

The Shinawatra family, long dominant in Thai politics, now faces another major setback, raising questions about the future of their influence.