M10News International Desk | June 26, 2025
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing escalating calls to resign following the leak of a controversial phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, triggering political turmoil and renewed protests in Bangkok.
Thousands of demonstrators, many aligned with Thailand’s royalist Yellow Shirt movement, took to the streets around Bangkok’s Victory Monument on Saturday.
They voiced outrage over Paetongtarn’s remarks during a private conversation with Hun Sen, now president of Cambodia’s Senate but widely regarded as a dominant political figure in the region.
In the June 15 phone call, Paetongtarn urged Hun Sen to disregard “the other side” in Thailand, including a prominent Thai army general whom she accused of trying to “look cool.” That general reportedly commands forces stationed along the Thai-Cambodian border, where a deadly clash last month left one Cambodian soldier dead.
Protesters on Saturday waved national flags and held placards accusing the prime minister of undermining Thailand’s military and sovereignty.
A large stage erected near the monument hosted speakers who condemned Paetongtarn’s handling of the border dispute and demanded her immediate resignation.
“This conversation has undermined Thailand, undermined the military, and they are insisting that she step down,” reported Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng from the scene. “It puts her in a very tricky position.”
Political observers believe the scandal could destabilise Paetongtarn’s already fragile government.
Analysts warn her survival as prime minister is in doubt, with no clear successor in sight.
The crisis also reflects long-standing political divisions in Thailand. Many protest leaders are affiliated with the Yellow Shirts, known for their pro-monarchy stance and opposition to the Shinawatra family, including Paetongtarn’s father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin has a well-documented friendship with Hun Sen, further fuelling nationalist anger.
Hun Sen Responds with Nationalist Rhetoric
In Cambodia, Hun Sen addressed thousands of supporters at a 74th anniversary rally for his Cambodian People’s Party. He condemned the Thai military for what he described as an illegal cross-border incursion that resulted in the May 28 fatal clash.
“Cambodia has suffered from foreign invasion, war, and genocide… but now Cambodia has risen as an equal to other nations,” Hun Sen declared in Phnom Penh.
He described the Thai military’s actions as a severe violation of Cambodian sovereignty, despite what he called his government’s goodwill in seeking a peaceful resolution.
Border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia have simmered for decades, particularly over land surrounding the historic Preah Vihear temple.
Though the International Court of Justice awarded the territory to Cambodia in 1962—a ruling reaffirmed in 2013—occasional skirmishes have continued.
Coalition Government Fractures
The fallout from the leaked call has already strained Paetongtarn’s 10-party coalition. The Bhumjaithai Party, formerly its largest partner, withdrew from the government this week. The departure reduces the coalition’s presence to 255 seats in Thailand’s 500-member parliament, just above the threshold for a governing majority.
Meanwhile, legal threats are mounting against Paetongtarn. Thailand’s Constitutional Court and National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) have opened investigations into whether the prime minister committed serious ethical violations during her conversation with Hun Sen.
Sarote Phuengrampan, NACC’s secretary-general, confirmed on Wednesday that his agency is examining the case for possible breaches of ethics, though no timeline for a decision has been given.
The Constitutional Court, which previously removed a Pheu Thai prime minister over ethical concerns, is expected to rule within days on whether to suspend Paetongtarn pending a full investigation.
PM Defiant Amid Scandal
Paetongtarn, speaking to reporters earlier this week, rejected claims that her phone call harmed the nation or that she stood to benefit personally from the exchange.
“It was clear from the phone call that I had nothing to gain from it, and I also didn’t cause any damage to the country,” she stated, adding she is prepared to present evidence to defend herself.
Nevertheless, with rising public anger, legal probes underway, and cracks forming within her coalition, the prime minister’s political future appears increasingly uncertain.
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