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17h ago

Thai PM’s Coalition Hangs by Thread After Leaked Call With Hun Sen

The Bhumjaithai Party’s exit leaves Paetongtarn with a razor-thin majority, fueling protests that intensify demands for a snap election.

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, center, talks to reporters at Government house in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 19, 2025.
Royalist activists hold signs as they take part in an anti-government protest, following a leak on Wednesday of a phone call between Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia's Hun Sen, the influential former premier of Cambodia, amid a border dispute between the two countries, near the Government House, in Bangkok, Thailand, June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
Royalist activists take part in an anti-government protest, following a leak on Wednesday of a phone call between Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia's Hun Sen, the influential former premier of Cambodia, amid a border dispute between the two countries, near the Government House, in Bangkok, Thailand, June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Overview

  • The conservative Bhumjaithai Party withdrew on June 18 over a leaked phone call, removing 69 MPs and reducing Paetongtarn’s coalition to a bare majority in the 500-seat lower house.
  • Audio of the June 15 call shows Paetongtarn addressing former Cambodian premier Hun Sen as 'uncle' and urging him to disregard a Thai army general, sparking nationalist outrage.
  • At a June 19 press conference flanked by military chiefs, Paetongtarn apologized for the leak, described her remarks as a negotiation tactic and pledged full support for the armed forces.
  • United Thai Nation and Democrat Party leaders are holding urgent talks over their coalition membership as opposition factions and veteran royalist protesters press for Paetongtarn’s resignation or a fresh election.
  • Thailand’s foreign ministry summoned the Cambodian ambassador to protest the disclosure and the army issued a statement affirming its commitment to democratic principles and national sovereignty.