Thousands of protesters gathered in Thailand‘s capital, Bangkok, on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra over a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The call, which took place on June 15, has sparked widespread outrage and set off a string of investigations that could lead to Paetongtarn’s removal from office.
During the conversation, Paetongtarn urged Hun Sen not to listen to “the other side” in Thailand, referring to a regional Thai army commander who publicly criticized Cambodia over a border dispute. The commander was in charge of the area where a border clash last month resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier. Protesters believe Paetongtarn’s comments undermined Thailand’s sovereignty and military.
“It looks like this is going to be a pretty well-attended rally, certainly a loud voice… Lots of speeches, lots of whistles, lots of noise, all calling in full voice for Prime Minister Paetongtarn to resign,” said Tony Cheng, reporting from Bangkok. “They say this conversation has undermined Thailand, has undermined the military, and they are insisting that she step down – it does put her in a very tricky position.”
Many protesters, including familiar faces from the Yellow Shirt group, which is loyal to the Thai monarchy, expressed their discontent with Paetongtarn’s handling of the border dispute. The group has long been at odds with Paetongtarn’s father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who reportedly has a close relationship with Hun Sen.
Tatchakorn Srisuwan, a 47-year-old guide from Surat Thani, said, “From a heart of a Thai person, we’ve never had a prime minister who’s so weak. We’ve never had a prime minister that’s so soft toward a country that’s smaller than us.” Tasana Soma, a 60-year-old retiree from Saraburi province, added, “The prime minister must resign to take responsibility for her cluelessness. She’s utterly immature and has no leadership skills.”
In response to the backlash, Hun Sen condemned what he called an attack by Thai forces last month, claiming it was a serious violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “This poor Cambodia has suffered from foreign invasion, war, and genocide, been surrounded and isolated and insulted in the past but now Cambodia has risen on an equal face with other countries. We need peace, friendship, cooperation, and development the most, and we have no politics and no unfriendly stance with any nation,” Hun Sen said.
Paetongtarn faces investigations by the Constitutional Court and the national anticorruption agency, which could lead to her removal from office. The prime minister has expressed confidence in her ability to weather the crisis, stating, “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.” However, political scientists believe it will be challenging for her to survive as prime minister.