Thailand PM Paetongtarn battles crisis over leaked phone call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen amid border row

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is grappling with mounting political pressure and calls for her resignation after a leaked phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen triggered a major backlash and fractured her ruling coalition.

The controversy erupted after Hun Sen posted a full 17-minute recording of a private phone conversation on his Facebook page, a day after a shorter version was leaked online. The two leaders had discussed a recent border clash that left one Cambodian soldier dead, with Paetongtarn referring to the Thai army commander involved in the standoff as “an opponent”, a remark that critics say weakened Thailand’s position and showed undue deference to Cambodia.

In the recording, Paetongtarn also referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” as they discussed lifting border restrictions imposed after the May 28 clash. She later defended her remarks as a negotiation tactic meant to reduce tensions. “My goal was to bring peace between the countries,” she said.

However, Paetongtarn expressed regret for the exchange and vowed not to engage in private talks with Hun Sen again. “It’s now clear that all that he cares about is his popularity in the country, without considering impacts on relations with other countries,” she said.

The fallout was swift. Hours after the recording surfaced, the Bhumjaithai Party — the largest partner in the 10-party ruling coalition — announced it was withdrawing from the government, citing damage to national sovereignty and the military. Its statement accused Paetongtarn of undermining Thai interests and called for her to take responsibility. While the party stopped short of demanding her resignation outright, its exit has left Paetongtarn’s coalition with a fragile majority of just 255 seats in the 500-seat House.

The crisis has sparked a wave of public and political condemnation. Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut of the People’s Party urged the prime minister to dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections, declaring that the phone call had “destroyed people’s faith in her administration.”

Nationalist protesters also gathered near Government House on Thursday, waving Thai flags and demanding Paetongtarn’s resignation. Some senators indicated plans to file a motion to impeach her, and several complaints were lodged with law enforcement agencies.

Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry lodged an official protest with the Cambodian ambassador, calling the release of the recording “a breach of diplomatic etiquette, a serious violation of trust, and [one that] undermines conduct between two neighboring countries.”

The episode has reignited concerns of political instability and fears of another military coup. Paetongtarn’s father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was overthrown by the military in 2006, while her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra met a similar fate in 2014. Paetongtarn’s remarks about the army commander have prompted speculation that the military may again intervene.

In response, the Royal Thai Army issued a rare statement urging the public to “maintain confidence in the Royal Thai Army’s steadfast commitment to constitutional monarchy and its readiness to execute its constitutional mandate of protecting national sovereignty through established legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms."

The rift with Cambodia is particularly sensitive given the long-standing personal ties between the two political families. Paetongtarn has described her family’s relationship with Hun Sen as close, with Thaksin and Hun Sen often referring to each other as “godbrothers.” In 2009, Hun Sen even appointed Thaksin as an adviser to the Cambodian government, though he resigned soon after.

But now, that relationship appears to be a liability rather than an asset, as Paetongtarn fights to save her government from collapse.