Thai court orders Yingluck to step down as PM

A Thai court Wednesday ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down on charges of abusing power.

The Constitutional Court unanimously ruled that Shinawatra's be removed, saying that the transfer of National Security Council chief Thawil Pliensri in 2011 was illegal, the Bangkok Post reported.

The case was filed by a group of senators led by Paiboon Nititawan after the Supreme Administrative Court March 7 ruled her decision to transfer Thawil in 2011 had been unlawful and unfair because she had not given appropriate reasons for the action, the report said.

The court ordered that Thawil be reinstated.

Thawil was replaced by then police chief Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree in 2011.

Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong, a relative of Yingluck, later succeeded Pol Gen Wichean as police chief.

The Constitutional Court Tuesday heard testimony from Yingluck, Thawil, Pol Gen Wichean and Senator Paiboon.

Paiboon told the court that Yingluck had abused her authority by transferring Thawil as, with that, she opened the way for Pol Gen Priewpan to become national police chief.

Yingluck, who was first sworn in as premier Aug 10, 2011, insisted the transfer complied with the law. She said she did nothing wrong in exercising her administrative authority to transfer the national security chief.

Yingluck said she did not abuse her authority because she was legally authorised to transfer state officials.