CNN
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Thai Prime Minister Paethon Than Sinawatra has pressured him to resign after appearing to be criticizing the army over a 17-minute leaked call with a powerful former Cambodian leader.
This scandal, which sparked widespread rage in the country, brings new uncertainty to a country shaking by years of political turbulence and leadership reforms. Paetongtarn, 38, served as prime minister for 10 months after replacing another prime minister who was taken from the inauguration.
It also comes when the kingdom of Southeast Asia negotiates trade contracts with the US to boost the sick economy and punish tariffs, and is caught up in a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia, which is linked to the lowest point in the year.
Paetongtarn apologized on Thursday, with Thailand’s Foreign Ministry summoning the Cambodian ambassador to deliver a letter of protest, calling the leak of private calls a “violation of diplomatic etiquette.”
“Thailand believes these actions are unacceptable between nations. It contradicts the spirit of internationally accepted practices and good neighbors,” “threatening the trust and respect between the two leaders and the country,” a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement.
In a post on the official Facebook page, Hun Sen said he shared a recording of the phone with around 80 Cambodian officials, suggesting that one of them may have leaked the audio. The 72-year-old political veteran later posted a 17-minute recording of the call.
In a leaked call made on June 15, Paetongtan was called former Cambodian Strongman Hunsen “Uncle” and appeared to be criticizing the actions of her own military forces after the border conflict led to the death of a Cambodian soldier last month.
Paetongtarn, a relative political newcomer in a powerful dynasty who became Thailand’s youngest prime minister last year, appeared to show discord between her government and the country’s powerful army.
In the call, the Thai Prime Minister could be heard telling Hun Sen that she was under domestic pressure, urging him not to listen to the “opposite side.”
“Now, the side wants to look cool. They’ll say things that aren’t beneficial to the nation. But what we want is to have peace before a conflict occurs at the border.”
She also added that Hun Sen “If he wants something, he can tell me and I’ll take care of it.”
Her comments on the leaked audio were confirmed as authentic by both sides and were nerve-wracking in Thailand, but the enemy accused her of compromising the country’s national interests. The Bumujaytay Party, a key partner of the Prime Minister’s government, withdrew from the coalition on Wednesday, taking a major blow to her ability to retain power in Pau Party.
“Petongang has infringed his position as prime minister and caused damage to the Thai people by raiding Han Sen,” said Chitinan Ponsudilak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. “It’s only a matter of time for her to exit and she could be held responsible for further charges.”
Handling of border disputes surprised the enthusiasm of nationalists in both countries. In Thailand, conservative forces are calling for PaetongTurn to resign in the face of charges. In Cambodia, thousands of people attended government-organized rally last week, with the government and the military in solidarity over the issue.
Thailand and Cambodia have developed complex relationships with both cooperation and competition over the last few decades. The two countries share a 508-mile (817km) land border. This is mainly mapped by the French while occupying Cambodia – it was a source of political tensions, seeing regular military conflicts.
On Wednesday, Petonggaan tried to downplay her remarks to Hun Sen, saying at a press conference she was trying to spread tensions between her two neighbors and “private” calls “should not have been made public.”
The Prime Minister said she was using “negotiation tactics” and that her comments were “not a statement of loyalty.”
“I understand now, this was never about real negotiations. It was a political theatre,” she said. “We’re releasing this call, it’s not a way to do diplomacy.”
Hun Sen, a veteran leader who ruled Cambodia for almost 40 years with iron fist, resigned in 2023 and handed the power to his son Hun Mane.
However, he is a hugely influential figure in Cambodian politics, currently serving as the Senate president and a friend and ally of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra, Patonggaan’s father.
Last month, tensions between the two neighbors got worse. When Cambodian soldiers were killed in a brief clash between Cambodian and Cambodian troops, both sides fired in the contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.
Thai and Cambodian troops blamed others for skirmishes saying they were acting in self-defense.
Military leaders in Thailand and Cambodia said they wanted them to escalate, but both sides were engaged in troops and strengthened troops along the border.
Thailand has managed border checkpoints, imposed restrictions on border intersections, and threatened to cut electricity and internet on Cambodian border towns. In return, Cambodia stopped importing Thai fruits and vegetables and banned Thai films and TV dramas.
Cambodia also submitted a request to the UN International Court of Justice to seek a ruling of the border area of the disputed with Thailand, including the location of the latest clashes.
However, Thailand does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICJ and claims that some areas along the border are not completely bounded, including the locations of several ancient temples.
In 2011, Thai and Cambodian forces clashed in nearby areas surrounding the 11th-century Plihaa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, kicking out thousands of people on either side and killing at least 20 people.
