Tens of thousands of Thai protesters took to the streets of Bangkok on Saturday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, following the leak of a controversial phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen that has sparked public outrage.
The leaked diplomatic conversation, allegedly released by a Cambodian official, was intended to defuse a simmering border dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. However, it quickly became a flashpoint in Thai domestic politics after Paetongtarn referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and described a Thai military commander as her "opponent," raising eyebrows over her allegiances and judgment.
The 38-year-old prime minister, daughter of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, now finds herself at the center of a growing crisis. On Friday, a key party in her governing coalition abruptly withdrew, accusing her of "submissiveness to Cambodia" and "undermining the authority of the Thai military," leaving her with only a slim parliamentary majority.
By Saturday afternoon, approximately 10,000 demonstrators had gathered near Bangkok’s Victory Monument, waving Thai flags and carrying placards reading “Resign, treacherous Prime Minister.” Many in the crowd were veterans of the Yellow Shirt movement, a royalist-leaning faction that helped topple Thaksin’s government nearly two decades ago.
The opposition has seized on the leaked call as evidence that Paetongtarn is unfit to lead, accusing her of compromising national interests and insulting the military—an institution that still holds substantial sway in Thai politics.
The Thai government has yet to confirm or deny the authenticity of the recording. In a brief statement, Paetongtarn called the backlash “politically motivated” and said the conversation was taken out of context. However, the statement did little to quell the public anger.
The controversy comes amid already heightened political tensions, with the Shinawatra family remaining a polarizing force in Thailand’s fragile democracy. Though Paetongtarn was elected last year in a historic vote that saw a return of her family to power, critics say her leadership has been marred by nepotism and inconsistency.
Meanwhile, Cambodian officials have remained largely silent, with neither Phnom Penh nor Hun Sen issuing any formal comment on the leak.
Analysts warn the incident may further strain Thai-Cambodian relations and could embolden the Thai military to reassert its influence behind the scenes—something that Thailand’s democratic institutions have long struggled to resist.
Follow the latest news on Google News
