Latest news with #protest
Reuters
41 minutes ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Thai protesters call for Prime Minister Paetongtarn's resignation
BANGKOK, June 28 (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters gathered in the Thai capital Bangkok on Saturday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as her government faces rising anger over a border row with Cambodia. The rally, the largest anti-government protest since her Pheu Thai party came to power in 2023, increases pressure on Paetongtarn, 38, who is battling to revive a faltering economy and keep a fragile government coalition together ahead of a potential no confidence vote next month. Protesters waved flags beside Victory Monument, a war memorial at a busy intersection, in a demonstration organised by the United Force of the Land, a coalition of largely nationalist activists who have rallied against other Shinawatra-backed governments over the last two decades. While the past protests did not directly cause the downfall of those governments, they built up pressure that led to judicial interventions and military coups in 2006 and 2014. The political turmoil in Thailand threatens to further damage the country's struggling economic recovery. Paetongtarn said on Saturday that she was not concerned about the protest and had instructed authorities to ensure the gathering was peaceful. "It's within people's rights and I will not retaliate," she said. The prime minister, who now controls a slim majority coalition following the exit of former partner Bhumjaithai Party last week, could face a no confidence vote when parliament reconvenes next week. Bhumjaithai Party last week withdrew its support for the government citing the risk of a loss of Thai sovereignty and integrity after a leaked phone conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodia's former premier Hun Sen. During the call, Paetongtarn appeared to seek to appease 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 for her comments. The prime minister also faces judicial scrutiny after a group of senators petitioned the Constitutional Court and a national anti-graft body with a wide remit to investigate her conduct over the leaked phone call. Decisions from either bodies could lead to her removal. Hun Sen, a former ally of the Shinawatras, made an unprecedented public attack on Paetongtarn and her family in an hours-long televised speech on Friday, calling for a change in government in Thailand. The Thai foreign ministry described the speech as "extraordinary" while insisting that Thailand prefers to use diplomacy to resolve the escalating bilateral dispute.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Thai ‘Yellow Shirts' return to demand Paetongtarn's removal after leaked Hun Sen call
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Thailand 's capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen. Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with Cambodia involving an armed confrontation on May 28. One Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested area. The clash set off a string of investigations that could lead to her removal. Protesters held national flags and signs as they occupied parts of the streets around the Victory Monument in central Bangkok. Protesters gather at Bangkok's Victory Monument demanding the resignation of Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Saturday. Photo: AP A huge stage was set up at the foot of the monument as participants sat and listened to speakers who said they gathered to express their love of the country following the intensified border row.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Protesters gather in Bangkok to demand Thai prime minister's resignation over leaked Cambodia call
BANGKOK: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Thailand's capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with Cambodia involving an armed confrontation May 28. One Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested area. The clash set off a string of investigations that could lead to her removal. Protesters held national flags and signs as they occupied parts of the streets around the Victory Monument in central Bangkok. A huge stage was set up at the foot of the monument as participants sat and listened to speakers who said they gathered to express their love of the country following the intensified border row. Many of the leading figures in the protest were familiar faces who were part of a group popularly known as Yellow Shirts, whose clothing color indicates loyalty to the Thai monarchy. They are longtime foes of Paetongtarn's father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Their rallies at times turned violent and led to military coups in 2006 and 2014, which respectively ousted the elected governments of Thaksin and Paetongtarn's aunt, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Outrage over the recorded phone call mostly revolved around Paetongtarn telling Hun Sen, the current Cambodian Senate president and a longtime friend of her father, not to listen to 'an opponent' in Thailand. It's believed to be a reference to the regional Thai army commander in charge of the area where the clash happened, who publicly criticized Cambodia over the border dispute. Hun Sen on Saturday vowed to protect his country's territory from foreign invaders and condemned what he called an attack by Thai forces last month. At a 74th anniversary celebration of the foundation of his long-ruling Cambodian People's Party, Hun Sen claimed the action by the Thai army was illegal when it engaged Cambodian forces. He said the skirmish inside Cambodian territory was a serious violation of country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, despite Cambodia's good will in attempting to resolve the border issue. '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 in front of cheerful thousands of party members at the event in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. There is a long history of territorial disputes between the countries. Thailand is still rattled by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded Cambodia the disputed territory where the historic Preah Vihear temple stands. There were sporadic though serious clashes there in 2011. The ruling from the UN court was reaffirmed in 2013, when Yingluck was prime minister. The scandal has broken Paetongtarn's fragile coalition government, costing her Pheu Thai Party the loss of its biggest partner, Bhumjaithai Party. There already was a rift between Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai Party over reports Bhumjaithai would be shuffled out of the powerful Interior Ministry. Several Bhumjaithai leaders also are under investigation over an alleged rigging of last year's Senate election in which many figures who are reportedly close to the party claimed a majority of seats. The departure of Bhumjaithai left the 10-party coalition with 255 seats, just above the majority of the 500-seat house. Paetongtarn also faces investigations by the Constitutional Court and the national anti-corruption agency. Their decisions could lead to her removal from office. Sarote Phuengrampan, secretary-general of the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, said Wednesday that his agency is investigating Paetongtarn for a serious breach of ethics over the phone call with Hun Sen. He did not give a possible timeline for a decision. Reports said the Constitutional Court can suspend Paetongtarn from duty pending the investigation and could decide as early as next week whether it will take the case. The prime minister said Tuesday she is not worried and is ready to give evidence to support her case. '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,' she said. The court last year removed her predecessor from Pheu Thai over a breach of ethics. Thailand's courts, especially the Constitutional Court, are considered a bulwark of the country's royalist establishment, which has used them and nominally independent state agencies such as the Election Commission to cripple or sink political opponents.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Wedding Planners Promise They Won't Take Over Venice
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding planners have insisted they have no plans to take over the city of Venice in the face of mounting protests from locals. The Amazon billionaire plans to wed fiancée Sanchez at a lavish three-day ceremony in Venice this week, sparking furious protest from Venetians who have vowed to blockade the city's canals and ports, and picket the as-of-yet unannounced wedding venue. 'Bezos will never get to the Misericordia,' protest organizer Federica Toninello told a crowd last week, referring to a historic 14th-century armory hotly tipped to be the ceremony location, CNN reported. 'We will block the canals, line the streets with our bodies, block the canals with inflatables, dinghies, boats.' Another protester promised the event will be remembered for the backlash rather than its opulent attendees, adding, 'We can't miss a chance to disrupt a $10-million wedding.' Among the precautions city officials have taken in the run-up to the event: block-booking the city's nine yacht ports, reserving a large number of Venice's iconic water taxis, closing off a variety of iconic venues and event spaces from the public in an effort to keep protesters out, and banning drones in Venetian airspace, CNN reported. Bezos has also drafted former United States Marines to provide security for the event, further heightening tensions. But wedding organizer Lanza & Baucina Limited, founded by Prince Antonio Licata di Baucina and Count Riccardo Lanza, has hit back at claims the Bezos wedding party is 'taking over' the city, claiming their goal has been to minimize disruption to the city throughout the three-day event. 'From the outset, instructions from our client and our own guiding principles were abundantly clear: the minimising of any disruption to the city, the respect for its residents and institutions, and the overwhelming employment of locals in the crafting of the events,' di Baucina and Lanza company said in a statement, according to Page Six. The minor royals, who boast of 'always knowing someone who can open the secret doors in Italy,' said they had been working for months to avoid negatively impacting the city. 'We have always acknowledged the wider debate and critical issues surrounding the city's future, and from the outset our client has been honoured to support the city and its all-important lagoon through non-profit organisations and associated projects,' a company spokesman said. 'Rumors of 'taking over' the city are entirely false and diametrically opposed to our goals and to reality,' they added. 'No exaggerated quantity of water taxis or gondolas have ever been booked, the number of taxis reserved being proportionate for the number of guests.' Bezos has also reportedly curried favor with city officials by making substantial donations to a number of local charities and sourcing around 80 percent of the wedding's provisions from local vendors, CNN reports. A pro-Bezos campaign group named 'Yes, Bezos can' has also sprung up, thanking the billionaire for pumping funds into the local economy. Around 200 A-list guests are expected to attend, with celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, and Kim Kardashian all rumored to be on the guest list. A local official also let slip that President Donald Trump is hotly tipped to make an appearance, although his priorities may have changed following the weekend's geopolitical escalation with Iran.
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Protesters Rally in Thai Capital to Demand Premier's Resignation
Thai protesters began to rally in Bangkok on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as the fallout continued from her controversial phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Demonstrators gathered at the Victory Monument junction, a key intersection in the capital, waving flags as monks prayed and chanted on a stage. Organizers brought the rally forward by six hours, with crowds expected to become larger as the day progresses.
