(Reuters) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
BANGKOK, July 1 – Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday suspended Prime Minister\u00a0Paetongtarn Shinawatra<\/a>\u00a0from duty pending a case seeking her dismissal, adding to mounting pressure on a government fighting for survival and under fire on multiple fronts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The court took on the petition from 36 senators that accuses Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards in violation of the constitution over the leak<\/a> of a politically sensitive telephone conversation with Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The court has considered the petition …. and unanimously accepts the case for consideration,” it said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will take over in a caretaker capacity while the court decides the case against Paetongtarn, who has 15 days to respond and will remain in the cabinet as the new culture minister following a reshuffle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Government work doesn’t stop, there is no problem,” Tourism Minister and Pheu Thai Party Secretary-General Sorawong Thienthong told Reuters. “Suriya will become caretaker prime minister.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The leaked call with the veteran Cambodian politician triggered domestic outrage and has left Paetongtarn’s coalition with a razor-thin majority, with a key party abandoning<\/a> the alliance and expected to soon seek a no-confidence vote<\/a> in parliament, as protest groups<\/a> demand the premier resigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n