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Public Calls for Thai PM’s Resignation After Leaked Call with Hun Sen Goes Viral

This Week

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing mounting public pressure to resign after a leaked phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen went viral on 18 June, sparking a political firestorm and intensifying scrutiny over her handling of the ongoing Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

The audio, confirmed by Hun Sen as authentic, captured a 17-minute call on 15 June. The Cambodian leader said the recording was made “for transparency and internal purposes.” 

It was later shared with around 80 Cambodian officials before it was leaked to the public, according to Hun Sen in a Facebook post on 18 June.

In the conversation, Paetongtarn appeared to offer concessions, expressing willingness to comply with Hun Sen’s requests to de-escalate tensions over the Thai-Cambodian border checkpoint closures. 

She also made a pointed remark about Thailand’s 2nd Army Region commander, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, implying he was aligned with the opposition and prone to saying things “just to make himself look cool.”

Following public outcry and viral circulation of the clip, Paetongtarn held an urgent press briefing to clarify her remarks. 

She insisted that her reference to “the opposition” was aimed at Cambodian critics of the Thai government, not her own military. 

She reiterated that Thailand sought a return to the peaceful status quo that existed before the 28 May troop clash.

Hun Sen, for his part, was heard criticizing the Thai military’s actions, claiming Cambodia had complied with all Thai requests, including troop repositioning, only for Thailand to then unilaterally restrict border access. He insisted such behavior was “unacceptable.”

The timing of the leak is particularly sensitive, coming as Cambodia issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Thailand to fully reopen all border checkpoints or face a ban on Thai imports. While Thailand denied officially closing the border, citing only adjusted operating hours, the leaked audio has exposed the frailty of bilateral coordination.

Public Outcry

The latest incident sparked domestic public outcry in Thailand as many took to Facebook, calling Paetorngtarn to resign from her current position as the Prime Minister of Thailand.

“The army is always ready to defend Thailand — but is the Prime Minister?” one user questioned.

“She’s unfit to lead this country. For our sake, she must resign,” another commenter stated.

Some even went so far as to accuse her of “treason.”

“I’ve never supported the military, but this time, I have to side with them,” wrote one user.

“Opposing the army is like opposing the people,” another post read.

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