Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is facing intense political pressure following the release of a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The controversy has stirred widespread anger over her handling of a border incident in May, in which a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire. In the leaked conversation, Paetongtarn is heard addressing Hun Sen familiarly as “uncle” and criticising a senior Thai military officer. She is also heard pledging to “take care of” any of his requests, prompting accusations of subservience from Thai nationalists.
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The release of the call has ignited large-scale protests in Bangkok. On Saturday, an estimated 6,000 demonstrators, with numbers expected to surpass 10,000 by evening, gathered waving Thai flags and chanting “Ung Ing, get out” – referencing Paetongtarn’s nickname. Protesters displayed placards labelling her a “traitor PM” and accusing her of betraying the nation. Many of those involved have previously protested against other members of the Shinawatra family, including her father Thaksin and aunt Yingluck, both of whom were ousted from office.
Paetongtarn’s coalition government is showing signs of strain, with one partner party recently withdrawing over the leaked conversation. She now holds only a narrow majority in parliament. The protest organiser, United Force of the Land, a nationalist coalition, has called for all parties to abandon her leadership. Simultaneously, legal threats are mounting. Petitions alleging constitutional and ethical violations have been filed, and the constitutional court is set to meet on Tuesday to decide whether to proceed with a case that could see her suspended from office.
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The fallout has deepened the century-old territorial tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. Hun Sen, speaking at his party’s anniversary event in Phnom Penh, condemned Thailand’s recent military actions near the border as a breach of Cambodia’s sovereignty. Although he formally stepped down in 2023, Hun Sen remains a dominant figure in Cambodian politics. Meanwhile, Paetongtarn’s public apology has done little to stem nationalist outrage at home, and the crisis continues to threaten her political survival.
