Thai PM apologises over leaked call with Hun Sen as crisis threatens to topple government | Thailand

Thai Prime Minister Paetongarn Shinawatra apologized after a leaked telephone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

Paetongarn, the daughter of former populist leader Thaksin Shinawatra, is discussing a border dispute with Hun Sen, known to be a friend of his family.

In the record, he may hear that he criticized a senior Thai military commander, which he says “just wanting to look hard ve and described him as a rival. Hun Sen as a “uncle ,, adds that if there is something he wants to“ only report to me, I will take care of it ”.

Paetongarn said at a press conference on Thursday: orum I want to apologize for my conversation with the Cambodian leader, the leaked voice of the people who caused the anger of the people. ”

Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for almost forty years, was fulfilled in 2023 by Hun Manet, son of Prime Minister, but remained politically strong.

Paetongarn said his comments were negotiating tactics, but he did very little to suppress the public anger.

The Thai Foreign Ministry called the Cambodian ambassador on Thursday to present a protest letter complaining about the leakage of his call. After the first clip was leaked, the full version was released by Hun Sen.

The phone call made Paetongarn’s government into chaos and threatened to destroy the restless partnership between his family and his old rivals in the army.

The second largest conservative of the coalition, the Bhumjaithai Party, withdrew from the ruling coalition and left its government with a fine majority. Charthaipattana, the United Thai Nation and the leaders of the Democratic parties held urgent negotiations about the crisis in the afternoon, but they did not retreat.

If another coalition partner goes out, it may make its position unavailable and force a choice or attempt to bring together a new coalition.

The opposition People’s Party’s leader Natthaphaphong Ruenganawut called on Paetongarn to solve the parliament to prevent groups from benefiting from the situation and warned him against a military coup and konuşmak an event that could harm democracy ”.

The Thai government has been challenged by a dozen coup since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932, and for the last twenty years, the politics of the country prevailed the power struggle between Ordu and Paetongarn’s family Shinawatras. His father was dismissed in the 2006 coup of his father Thaksin Shinawatra and his aunt Yingluck was removed from power in 2014 with a court order.

Hundreds of anti -government protesters, some of whom are royalist veterans, were shown in the late 2000s on Thursday, outside the government’s house and demanded Paetongarn to quit.

Ken Lohateepanont, a Thai political analyst, said that “a blow is no longer thought out,” he said: “The democratic process has not yet reached a dead end,” he said.

The Thai Army said in a statement that the army chief Gen Panwplodtook confirmed his devotion to democratic principles and national sovereignty protection ”.

“The Chief of Army emphasized that the obligation of Paramount was ‘united to defend national sovereignty of the Thai people’.

Paetongarn, who has been in office for less than a year, is faced with legal threats. At least three petitions were given to the Central Investigation Bureau, including the Anti -Corruption Commission, to accuse him of the ethical abuse and to the Central Investigation Bureau and to the leaked call that accused him of crimes against national security. The Election Commission was also called for an investigation.

The crisis comes at a time when the Thai economy is fighting, Chinese visitors are hitting the tourism industry and the US’s 36% tariff threat is approaching.

Paetongarn did not respond to calls to resign, but he tried to convince the people that his government was united with the army while responding to the dispute with Cambodia.

“Now, we have no time to fight between us. We must defend our sovereignty and the government’s armed forces are of course ready to support. We will work together.”

On Friday, Paetongarn will go to the northeast of Thailand, where conflicts occur, and will meet with LT Ge Gen Boonsin Padklang, the commander of the forces in Northeast Thailand, which he criticized in the call.

With Agent France-Presse