Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra amid growing political pressure following a leaked phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

In the controversial recording, Paetongtarn referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and criticized a Thai military commander, triggering public backlash and prompting a petition demanding her removal from office. The court is now reviewing the petition, and she has 15 days to submit her defense.

The court’s decision, passed by a 7-2 vote, temporarily sidelines Paetongtarn, making her the third member of the influential Shinawatra family to face premature political downfall. In the interim, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit will serve as acting prime minister.

Paetongtarn’s coalition government has been politically fragile, holding a slim majority that became even more precarious after a key conservative partner withdrew support two weeks ago.

If removed, Paetongtarn would be the second leader from the Pheu Thai party to be ousted in under a year. Her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was dismissed in August after appointing a former convict to his cabinet.

Paetongtarn, daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, assumed office shortly afterward, becoming Thailand’s youngest-ever prime minister at 38 and only the second woman to hold the position after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Her tenure has faced challenges, particularly on the economic front. Recent polls show her approval ratings have dropped significantly—from 30.9% in March to just 9.2% last weekend.

While she apologized for her remarks in the leaked call—describing them as part of a “negotiation strategy” during recent border tensions—critics, especially from conservative circles, accused her of undermining Thailand’s military and yielding to Cambodian interests.

The court’s ruling coincided with mounting legal troubles for her father, Thaksin Shinawatra. On the same day, he stood trial for allegedly insulting the monarchy during a 2015 interview with a South Korean news outlet. The case marks one of the most high-profile applications of Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws in recent years.

Thaksin, who returned to Thailand in 2023 after 15 years in self-imposed exile, remains a central figure in Thai politics. His return was widely seen as part of a political pact between the Pheu Thai party and former adversaries, including conservative factions and military-aligned groups that had previously orchestrated coups against his family’s governments.