Ms Paetongtarn said in a written statement her resignation would initiate an overhaul in line with her announcement on Oct 7, reports the Bangkok Post.
“Today I decided to resign as the leader of the Pheu Thai Party with the intention of starting the overhaul of the Pheu Thai Party, as I announced on Oct 7, 2025, with a new vision and courage for change truly for the sake of the people,” said the daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
“The Pheu Thai Party, one of the nation’s major political parties, must be revamped… Change in the Pheu Thai Party must begin as soon as possible. Therefore, I choose to resign as the party leader to let the party be revamped freely and perfectly rebuilt.”
Despite her resignation as party leader, Ms Paetongtarn said, she remained “a member of the Pheu Thai Party, (and) the head of the Pheu Thai family and will together with all of us build a new era for the Pheu Thai Party.”
Sorawong Thienthong, former Pheu Thai secretary-general, told reporters at the party headquarters that Ms Paetongtarn called a meeting of all Pheu Thai members and MPs to voice the reasons behind her resignation.
Ms Paetongtarn “made a sacrifice” with her resignation to “save the party” and prevent her story from being used as a “political tool” in the future, Mr Sorawong said.
He said that after Ms Paetongtarn was removed as prime minister by the Constitutional Court, there were petitions for the disbandment of Pheu Thai. Her resignation would prevent other parties from using her as an issue to encourage defections from Pheu Thai.
He also said the resignation was part of the party’s revamp and party members were prepared to compete in the coming general election, scheduled to take place in March 2026.
Ms Paetongtarn would remain the “head of the Pheu Thai family” and thus a pillar of the party, Mr Sorawong said.
The popularity of the Pheu Thai Party, which led the previous coalition government, has plummet since Ms Paetongtarn’s controversial phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen was made public.
The Constitutional Court dismissed her from premiership in late August for a serious violation of ethics during the phone call, in which she appeared to favour Hun Sen’s opinions despite the growing tension at the time along their mutual border.
Her downfall and the Pheu Thai Party’s loss of government after her dismissal led to the resignation of many key party politicians and MPs.