Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the prime minister of Thailand, faces mass protests after a leaked call with Cambodia border Hun Sen. Photo/X.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the Prime Minister of Thailand, is facing a setback as protesters rocked the Bangkok streets, demanding his resignation.
The protests intensified after a phone call of Prime Minister with a Cambodian leader was leaked. Shinawatra has already been facing pressure over her handling of border disputes with neighboring country Cambodia. The border issue started in May this year when a Cambodian soldier was killed during an exchange of fire at the border.
The crisis spiraled after a phone call with the former Cambodian leader Hun Sen was made public earlier this month.
In the call she discusses the border incident with the senior Thai military officer and addresses Hun Sen as “uncle.”
Paetongtarn Shinawatra was also heard saying to Hun Sen if there is anything she can take care of. Thai nationalists have been since infuriated and accuse Shinawatra of kowtowing to Hun Sen.
For days protestors haeve been gathering in Bangkok asking for the resignation of Prime Minister. Protesters on Saturday were seen gathering and waving Thai flags, chanting, “Ung Ing, get out.” Protestors have also called her ‘traitor’ and ‘sellout’ while accusing her of betraying the nation.
Ung Ing is the nickname of the prime minister.
According to police, over 6,000 people turned up for Saturday’s protest. However, the latest independent estimates say over 10,000 protestors gathered in Bangkok.
The latest protests are said to be the largest since the ruling Pheu Thai party came to power in 2023. Protestors say they are not gathering for trouble.
“We are united here by the force of nature to safeguard our national and territorial integrity, to protect our sovereignty and to set the country right. We shall do everything within our capabilities to protect this country and to bring peace and prosperity to the kingdom of Thailand,” a protestor said.
Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin Shinawatra, also witnessed protests and was ousted in a 2006 coup. Prime minister’s aunt, Yingluck, witnessed a coup in 2014 and was removed from power by a court ruling. Many of the protestors who have gathered were involved in the overthrowing of Prime Minister’s father and aunt.
The protest has been organized by United Force of the Land. The organizers have called for all parties to withdraw support for Paetongtarn, who is running a coalition government. One of the coalition partners already quit earlier this month after the phone call went viral.
Many petitions have been filed against Prime Minister Paetongtarn for breaching the constitution after the call recording was leaked. Paetongtarn has apologized for the phone call; however, protests are gathering momentum everyday.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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