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Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Leaked phone call could bring down Thai government
When Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thailand's Prime Minister, picked up her phone on June 15, she probably had no idea that the call she was about to take would send her government into a tailspin. The call was with Hun Sen, Cambodia's de facto leader, to discuss reopening the disputed Thai-Cambodian border after a clash in late May left a Cambodian soldier dead. Ms Paetongtarn spent the conversation kowtowing before the veteran politician and criticised a Thai army commander – a red line not to cross in a country where the military has significant power and prestige. She had no idea that the 17-minute phone call, during which she referred to Hun Sen as 'uncle', would be leaked and leave her government hanging onto power by a thread. With the crisis on the border still unresolved, Ms Paetongtarn could now face a vote of no confidence as well as a case at the Constitutional Court, as many accuse her of betraying her country. To add insult to injury, Hun Sen, who remains the de facto leader of Cambodia despite relinquishing the premiership to his son in 2023, announced on social media that he was the one who recorded the conversation and shared it with 80 individuals across the government, which is how it was released. During the call, Ms Paetongtarn can be heard saying that one of her army commanders 'is on the opposing side'. She also pleaded with the Cambodian strongman not to be 'upset or angry' by comments the commander had made where he threatened Cambodia to a 'duel' over the border land. 'He just wanted to look tough and ended up saying things that are not helpful to either country,' Ms Paetongtarn was heard saying. Tensions between the two nations are at a record high. They are locked in an ongoing dispute that resulted in Thailand's army closing its border with Cambodia this week. Relations escalated in May after troops exchanged fire at a contested part of the border, during which a Cambodian soldier was killed. On Thursday, Ms Paetongtarn and Hun Sen made separate visits to the border areas, with the latter saying that more Cambodian troops and weapons have been mobilised to the area. He said that soldiers 'are constantly prepared to defend the territory in case of any invasion by the Thai army'. Amid mounting fears of further escalation, the feeling among Thai politicians and the public is that Ms Paetongtarn has betrayed them, and even committed treason with her damning leaked phone call. The Thai premier – who has only been in office for 10 months – is now fighting for her political life amid calls for her to resign. 'The last straw' Along with criticisms over Ms Paetongtarn's comments about the military, many in Thailand also took issue with her demeanour towards Hun Sen, which many saw as overly meek and friendly. At one point in the call she was heard saying: 'If there's anything you want, just let me know. I'll take care of it.' 'The leaked call was a bad look. Paetongtarn calling Hun Sen 'uncle' and referring to a Thai general as an 'opponent' made it seem like she was too soft or careless, especially on a sensitive issue like a border clash,' Saipaan, a 32-year-old marketing officer from Bangkok, told The Telegraph. Hundreds of protesters have been gathering outside of the government in the last week saying that the phone call was a 'failure of leadership' and demanding that Ms Paetongtarn step down. The leader of Thailand's opposition also called on Ms Paetongtarn to dissolve parliament, claiming that the leak was 'the last straw'. 'She was compromised by her conversation with Hun Sen whereby she is perceived to have given concessions to him at the expense of Thai sovereignty,' said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. Ms Paetongtarn has apologised and criticised Hun Sen, saying that all he cares about is 'his popularity'. After the recording was made public, the pro-military Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) announced that it would be withdrawing its 69 members of parliament from its coalition with Ms Paetongtarn's centre-left Pheu Thai Party, leaving her government with barely enough seats to remain in power. In its statement, the BJT called on Ms Paetongtarn to 'take responsibility for causing Thailand to lose its honour, dignity of the nation, the people and military'. As a pro-military party, the BJT's ties with Pheu Thai party – and the Shinawatra family specifically – were already tenuous. Ms Paetongtarn's father, Thaksin Shinawatra, and aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, both previously served as prime ministers and were both ousted in consecutive military coups in 2006 and 2014, respectively. In the lead-up to the leaked phone call, the Pheu Thai party had also been pressuring the BJT to give up control of the Ministry of the Interior, one of the most prized portfolios during election seasons. 'BJT was haggling with Pheu Thai and it looked like they might have to concede on key portfolios,' said Mr Thitinan. 'When the leaked recording scandal came up, it gave the BJT just the right pretext to pull out.' Pushing out the prime minister The BJT have now said that they plan to submit a vote of no confidence against Ms Paetongtarn when parliament reopens on July 3. However, party discipline in Thailand means that most members of parliament tend to vote along party lines. 'Based on where things currently stand the government has enough MPs to survive, so there would have to be a significant number of defectors to the opposition [for Paetongtarn to lose],' said Ken Lohatepanont, a Thai politics expert and PhD candidate at the University of Michigan. More worrying for Ms Paetongtarn, experts say, are the cases that have been petitioned by Thailand's Constitutional Court, which allege that she committed treason. The court will convene on July 1 and decide whether to dismiss the cases, accept them and allow Ms Paetongtarn to continue serving as prime minister or accept the cases and suspend her from her duties. The court has removed four prime ministers in 16 years, including Ms Paetongtarn's predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, who served for less than a year. If Ms Paetongtarn is ousted, parliament would have to select a new prime minister. However, Thailand's political system requires that her replacement come from the pool of candidates submitted during the country's last election in 2023, which is very limited. The only remaining candidate from the Pheu Thai party is Chaikasem Nitisiri, who is reportedly in poor health and has a history of supporting amendments to Thailand's controversial lese-majeste laws, which criminalise any defamatory or threatening comments about the monarchy. 'While it is unlikely Paetongtarn will be able to remain in power for more than a few months given the mounting political pressure, her strongest asset at the moment is the absence of any viable alternative,' said Napon Jatusripitak, a political scientist specialising in Thailand at the ISEAS Yusof-Ishak Institute in Singapore. Benefit to Cambodia Beyond a major shake-up in Thai politics, another question that has left analysts scratching their heads is why Hun Sen made the decision to leak the phone call in the first place – Thailand and Cambodia are strategic partners and Ms Paetongtarn and her family are believed to be well-liked by the former Cambodian prime minister. 'I'm still slightly puzzled by exactly what Hun Sen thought he would get from this,' said Sebastian Strangio, an expert on Cambodia and the author of Hun Sen's Cambodia. To make matters more confusing, Hun Sen made a number of veiled threats towards Ms Paetongtarn's father and their family yesterday while visiting the border. While Hun Sen had previously referred to Mr Thaksin as a 'God brother', his tone on Saturday was very different. He said: 'Now that I've been betrayed, I feel I must reveal what the Thaksin family did to betray their nation. This is a warning.' A week after releasing the tape, Hun Sen had also said that Thailand 'will have a new prime minister within the next three months', suggesting that he was eager to see a reshuffle in Bangkok. 'The relationship between Cambodia and Thailand is pretty asymmetric. Thailand is a much wealthier country, it's more powerful militarily,' said Mr Strangio. 'So this sort of approach is a way of leveraging Cambodia's relative advantages over Thailand in order to score nationalistic points with domestic political constituents.' Although Cambodia and Thailand have faced border disputes in the past, the leaked phone call and subsequent fallout sparked by this latest incident could have a long-term impact on relations between the two countries, according to Mr Napon. 'Relations between Thailand and Cambodia are likely to remain severely strained for the foreseeable future,' he said. 'The leaked phone call controversy has fundamentally damaged trust between the two nations, not just between the Hun and Shinawatra dynasties.'
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Thai army closes nearly all border crossings with Cambodia
Thailand's army has put curbs on border crossings with Cambodia in six provinces, as a territorial row between the neighbours rages. Relations have deteriorated after a Cambodian soldier was killed last month when troops exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle. CNA's Saksith Saiyasombut with the details.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Cambodia accuses Thailand of escalating tensions with new land crossing restrictions
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reviews his troop during his visit to Preah Vihear, near Cambodia-Thailand border in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, Monday, June 23, 2025. (AKP via AP) PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia's government on Tuesday accused Thailand of escalating border tensions by imposing new restrictions that have blocked almost all land crossings, especially for tourists heading into Cambodia. Relations between the neighbors have deteriorated following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested territory along their border. While the two sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute, they have continued to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high. The Thai army on Monday imposed heightened restrictions at border checkpoints with Cambodia following an order from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to allow only students, medical patients and others with essential needs to enter or leave Thailand. That also makes it impossible for thousands of tourists to cross between the two countries. Pen Bona, a spokesperson of the Cambodian government, said Tuesday that Cambodia has committed to resolve the conflict through diplomatic channels, but tensions have soared because of Thailand's actions. 'The Cambodian government has already stated that we will not initiate any border closure,' and that it will also lift restrictions if Thailand does so first, he said. Cambodia has boycotted some Thai internet services, banned Thai fruits and vegetables, and blocked electricity and fuel supplies from Thailand in response to the border dispute. Prior to the boycott, Cambodia imported 30 per cent of its gasoline and other fuel from Thailand. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet on Monday visited troops at the border and a temporary shelter for thousands of civilians who were evacuated from the area. He said that while Cambodia doesn't want war, 'we cannot stand by and let us be abused.' In addition to border restrictions, Paetongtarn also announced measures targeting online scam operations in Cambodia. They include blocking exports that could facilitate such activities in Cambodia and coordination with other countries and international agencies to crack down on cybercrime based in Southeast Asia. Pen Bona said that while he recognized that Cambodia 'is being exploited by online scammers,' many such operations are also based in Thailand. 'This is a very shameful thing that is happening in Thailand, but they are trying to divert the story from Thailand to Cambodia,' he said. Thailand earlier this year implemented measures to crack down on online scam operations in neighboring Myanmar, severing electricity, internet and gas supplies to border towns where the syndicates were based. Sopheng Cheang, The Associated Press
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Thailand's Bhumjaithai Party plans no-confidence vote against embattled PM Paetongtarn
BANGKOK: Thailand's Bhumjaithai party, which left the ruling coalition last week, said on Tuesday (Jun 24) it will seek a parliamentary no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Cabinet, in another blow to the embattled premier. Next week's planned motion will be the first parliamentary test for Paetongtarn, 38, since coming under intense public pressure over her handling of an escalating border row with neighbouring Cambodia, which has left the ruling alliance led by her Pheu Thai party hanging on to power by a thread. Bhumjaithai withdrew its support for the government last Wednesday, citing the risk of a loss of Thai sovereignty and integrity from the leak of a phone conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodia's former premier Hun Sen. During the call, Paetongtarn kowtowed before the veteran Cambodian politician and criticised a Thai army commander, a red line in a country where the military has significant clout. She has apologised over the leak. "We have a party resolution to file a no confidence motion against the prime minister," Bhumjaithai spokesperson Boontida Somchai said, adding that the party was inviting other opposition groups to back the move. "When parliament opens, first thing, we will petition a no-confidence motion." Bhumjaithai has 69 seats and would need the support of another 30 lawmakers to launch the motion when parliament reconvenes on Jul 3. Sorawong Thienthong, tourism minister and Pheu Thai party secretary-general, said the government was not concerned as it had the backing of more than half of the house. "We are not worried. This is the duty of the opposition," Sorawong told Reuters. Facing an unprecedented crisis in her young political career, Paetongtarn has refused to back down. On Tuesday she said the coalition was strong and the government had settled on a Cabinet reshuffle, while approving US$3.5 billion worth of infrastructure projects aimed at boosting the flagging economy.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Cambodia accuses Thailand of escalating tensions with new land crossing restrictions
Cambodia's government on Tuesday accused Thailand of escalating border tensions by imposing new restrictions that have blocked almost all land crossings, especially for tourists heading into Cambodia. Relations between the neighbors have deteriorated following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested territory along their border. While the two sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute, they have continued to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high. The Thai army on Monday imposed heightened restrictions at border checkpoints with Cambodia following an order from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to allow only students, medical patients and others with essential needs to enter or leave Thailand. That also makes it impossible for thousands of tourists to cross between the two countries. Pen Bona, a spokesperson of the Cambodian government, said Tuesday that Cambodia has committed to resolve the conflict through diplomatic channels, but tensions have soared because of Thailand's actions. 'The Cambodian government has already stated that we will not initiate any border closure,' and that it will also lift restrictions if Thailand does so first, he said. Cambodia has boycotted some Thai internet services, banned Thai fruits and vegetables, and blocked electricity and fuel supplies from Thailand in response to the border dispute. Prior to the boycott, Cambodia imported 30% of its gasoline and other fuel from Thailand. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet on Monday visited troops at the border and a temporary shelter for thousands of civilians who were evacuated from the area. He said that while Cambodia doesn't want war, 'we cannot stand by and let us be abused.' In addition to border restrictions, Paetongtarn also announced measures targeting online scam operations in Cambodia. They include blocking exports that could facilitate such activities in Cambodia and coordination with other countries and international agencies to crack down on cybercrime based in Southeast Asia. Pen Bona said that while he recognized that Cambodia "is being exploited by online scammers,' many such operations are also based in Thailand. 'This is a very shameful thing that is happening in Thailand, but they are trying to divert the story from Thailand to Cambodia,' he said. Thailand earlier this year implemented measures to crack down on online scam operations in neighboring Myanmar, severing electricity, internet and gas supplies to border towns where the syndicates were based.
