- Thousands demand PM Paetongtarn’s resignation amid leaked call with Cambodia‘s Hun Sen.
- Fallout over border clash strains Thailand’s fragile coalition government.
- Investigations and legal pressure mount as nationalist outrage grows.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing intense public backlash following the leak of a phone conversation with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen.
The crisis has deepened political fractures within her ruling coalition, as the influential Bhumjaithai Party formally withdrew its support. This leaves Paetongtarn with a razor-thin majority in the 500-seat parliament ahead of a potential no-confidence vote.
Borderlines and Backlash: Paetongtarn Battles Calls to Step Down
Protesters from across Thailand converged in Bangkok over the weekend, waving flags and chanting slogans as they demanded Paetongtarn’s resignation. Many demonstrators belonged to groups with historical ties to the royalist Yellow Shirts, who played significant roles in the political upheavals of 2006 and 2014. Their re-emergence signals a resurgence of conservative forces critical of the Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thai politics for over two decades.
At the core of the uproar is a leaked phone call in which Paetongtarn appeared to downplay a fatal military clash and undermine a regional army commander, comments seen as violating military and nationalist expectations. The fallout has escalated tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, with Hun Sen delivering a rare public condemnation of the Thai leadership during a televised speech, reigniting long-standing border disputes.
Domestically, the leaked call has opened legal floodgates. The National Anti-Corruption Commission is reviewing the call as a potential breach of ethical conduct, while the Constitutional Court may soon decide whether to hear a case for her removal. These institutions have previously been instrumental in disqualifying anti-establishment leaders, and their decisions could reshape Thailand’s political landscape once again.
Despite the pressure, Paetongtarn has stated that she will not step down and welcomes any legal scrutiny. She maintains that her conversation with Hun Sen was an attempt to defuse a tense situation and that her words were taken out of context. Still, the damage to public trust and internal coalition unity appears significant, raising questions about the long-term viability of her government.
With mounting protests, legal probes, and a fragile parliamentary majority, Paetongtarn’s leadership hangs in the balance as Thailand faces yet another moment of political reckoning.
“The price of greatness is responsibility.” — Winston Churchill
