Thailand's Constitutional Court suspends PM Paetongtarn

Thailand's Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday after accepting a petition seeking her removal from office over a leaked phone call on border issues with Cambodia.

A panel of judges unanimously voted to accept the petition and ordered Paetongtarn to stop performing her duties as prime minister starting Tuesday pending a final ruling, the court said in a statement.

To prevent serious and irreparable damage, temporary measures shall be taken, the court said, adding that the defendant is prohibited from exercising duties and powers related to national security, foreign affairs, and finance until the court delivers its ruling.

The decision comes after a group of senators filed a petition last month accusing Paetongtarn of breaching the constitution with serious violation of ethical standards over the telephone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

Speaking to reporters at the government house after the ruling, Paetongtarn said she humbly accepted the court's decision and will submit an explanation within 15 days as requested.

According to local media reports, Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will assume the role of acting prime minister and is set to lead new cabinet members in a swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed a cabinet reshuffle as proposed earlier by Paetongtarn, according to a royal command issued on Tuesday prior to the court decision, following the exit of a key party from the ruling coalition.

Paetongtarn, the 38-year-old Pheu Thai Party leader and the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was appointed last August to become Thailand's youngest and second female prime minister after winning a parliamentary vote.

Thailand's Constitutional Court suspends PM Paetongtarn

Thailand's Constitutional Court suspends PM Paetongtarn

Thailand's Constitutional Court suspends PM Paetongtarn

Thailand's Constitutional Court suspends PM Paetongtarn

China and Canada are complementary in their resources and the two countries can tap the full potential of their win-win cooperation for their good, former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said in Beijing.

He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China.

Carney will pay an official visit to China from January 14 to 17, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.

"I hope that the visit of the prime minister of Canada, it will be a new departure in the relation between Canada and China. And because of the turmoil created by the president of the United States, we are looking for diversifying our economy with other nations. And my judgment always said that China and Canada are complementary. You have the people, we have the land, we have the resources, and we have some people, too. So, we can help each other to grow in peace and prosperity," he said.

Regarding how to resolve differences, Chretien said dialog is always the best way out.

"I believe in dialog. If we have disagreement, we have to talk about it. But at the end, every nation is a sovereign nation. So, we have to respect that, too. It's internal decision by the people of China to decide the future of China like it is for the Canadians to decide the future of Canada," he said.

China, Canada should leverage complementarity for mutual benefit: former Canadian PM