It took months of protests, dozens of injured, many dead and a failing economy to overthrow Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinatwatra. The Constitutional Court ordered her to step down from the prime ministerial position, Wednesday.
The court also ruled that nine cabinet members must also resign. They were present at the meeting where Shinawatra decided to illegally remove Thawil Pliensri as secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC) in 2011.
The remaining cabinet members have chosen Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, commerce minister, as the country's acting prime minister. "The cabinet has agreed to appoint Boonsongpaisan to act as caretaker prime minister," Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said.
Upon taking the seat as the acting prime minister, Niwatthamrong, a former executive in a company owned by Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother, said that the interim government's responsibility was to organize elections at the earliest. "I hope the political situation will not heat up after this," he said of the court decision, reports Reuters.
Shinawatra , in her defense said that the removal of Pliensri was of no benefit to her. At a press conference, she thanked her supporters. She also noted that she was the democratically elected prime minister.
"We held true to the principles of honesty in running the country, and never acted corruptly, as we were accused," she told reporters.
Pheu Thai Party, Shinawatra's party, issued a statement that the verdict was a judicial coup and a "conspiracy to topple the democratic ruling system."
Protests against Shinawatra began last November and the civic strife has left over 20 people dead. The growing demonstrations prompted Shinawatra to dissolve parliament and call for a snap election. The Washington Post reports, the protestors disrupted the February elections by blocking polling stations and preventing some candidates from registering. Consequently, the elections were annulled and Shinawatra remained in office as caretaker prime minister.
