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Thai PM Faces Resignation Demands Amid Leaked Cambodia Call Scandal
Mass protests erupt in Bangkok as PM Paetongtarn faces backlash over leaked call with Hun Sen. Accused of undermining military, she now risks removal.
ND
by News Desk
2025-06-28
Thai PM Faces Resignation Demands Amid Leaked Cambodia Call Scandal

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing the biggest political crisis of her tenure after a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sparked nationwide protests, official investigations, and threats to her fragile coalition government.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters flooded the streets around Bangkok’s Victory Monument, demanding Paetongtarn’s immediate resignation. The leaked June 15 call appeared to show the prime minister urging Hun Sen, now Cambodia’s Senate president, to ignore “the other side” in Thailand — including a Thai army general involved in a recent deadly border clash.

That clash, which occurred on May 28, resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier during a skirmish in a disputed border region. Critics say the prime minister’s comments in the call undermined the Thai military and sovereignty, sparking public outrage and raising serious questions about national security and loyalty.

“They say this conversation has undermined Thailand, has undermined the military, and they are insisting that she step down,” reported Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng.

A Coalition in Crisis

The political shockwave has already led to the collapse of Paetongtarn’s ruling coalition, with the Bhumjaithai Party — the largest partner in her 10-party alliance — withdrawing support. The Pheu Thai Party, founded by Paetongtarn’s father Thaksin Shinawatra, now barely holds a slim parliamentary majority.

Ethics Investigations Underway

The Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) have launched parallel investigations into the scandal. The NACC is probing a serious ethics violation, while the Constitutional Court may move to suspend the prime minister from office as early as next week.

“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,” Paetongtarn said Tuesday, defending herself against mounting criticism.

Hun Sen Responds from Phnom Penh

On the same day as the Bangkok protest, Hun Sen, speaking at his party’s 74th anniversary celebration, lashed out at the Thai military for what he called an “illegal invasion”. He condemned the border clash, calling it a violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and a reminder of the country’s painful history with foreign aggression.

“Cambodia has risen... We need peace, friendship, and development,” Hun Sen told supporters.

The tensions also rekindle historic animosities over the Preah Vihear temple region, which has seen repeated clashes and was the subject of a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling in Cambodia’s favor.

Uncertain Political Future

While protests — dominated by Yellow Shirt loyalists supportive of the monarchy — continue to gain momentum, political analysts say Paetongtarn’s position is increasingly untenable. With investigations, internal fractures, and public unrest all intensifying, her resignation may become inevitable.

The question remains: who will lead next?

 
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