Goa, July 20 -- Thailand has plunged into a fresh political crisis following the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra by the Constitutional Court. The move comes in response to a leaked phone conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen, in which she was heard making remarks that critics say undermined the authority of the Thai military and showed excessive deference to her Cambodian counterpart during ongoing border tensions.

The petition to suspend Paetongtarn was filed by 36 senators and a group of conservative lawmakers, who claimed her conduct violated the ethical standards expected of a prime minister, especially during a time of heightened national sensitivity. In a 7-2 ruling, the Constitut...