Thailand’s Deputy PM Suriya to become caretaker premier, minister says

Pheu Thai Party members attend a meeting at the parliament house to select its PM candidate, ahead of a pivotal parliamentary vote on the new PM, in Bangkok

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will become caretaker premier after a court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty on Tuesday, Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong told Reuters.

Suriya, 70, also currently serves as transport minister. Paetongtarn has 15 days to respond the Constitutional Court after she was accused of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards over a leaked telephone conversation with Cambodia’s influential former leader Hun Sen last month.

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Martin Petty)