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STORY: Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday for a breach of ethics.

Srettha had appointed a former lawyer, who was briefly imprisoned in 2008, to his cabinet.

But the court ruled that in doing so the Prime Minister had violated the constitution by appointing a minister who did not meet ethical standards.

Real estate tycoon Srettha now becomes the fourth Thai premier in 16 years to be removed by verdicts from the same court.

:: What happens now?

62-year-old Srettha removal after less than a year in power means parliament must convene to choose a new premier, while an interim leader steps in and the Cabinet assumes a caretaker role.

But with that comes the prospect of more uncertainty in a country dogged for two decades by coups and court rulings that have brought down multiple governments and political parties.

:: Who is likely to take over?

The next premier would need to have been nominated a prime ministerial candidate by their parties prior to the 2023 election.

A likely candidate is Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, daughter of the billionaire figurehead of the Pheu Thai Party, Thaksin Shinawatra.

She is also party leader and would be the third Shinawatra to take the top job if chosen by parliament.

Other potential candidates include Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga and Prawit Wongsuwan, an influential former army chief who was involved in the last two coups.

:: Srettha's year in power

Last August Srettha’s Pheu Thai party finished second in the polls, but the election-winning Move Forward party was blocked by military-appointed lawmakers from forming the government.

This left the door open for Srettha to cobble together a ruling coalition.

Despite his intentions, his tenure has been marred by setbacks and economic woes with polls indicating a majority of Thais have an unflattering view of his leadership.