Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Bangkok on Saturday, calling for the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The demonstration, the largest since the Pheu Thai party took power in 2023, saw crowds gather at the Victory Monument, braving monsoon rains to wave Thai flags and hold placards declaring the prime minister an "enemy of state."
The controversy stems from a leaked conversation in which Paetongtarn addressed Hun Sen as "uncle" and criticized a Thai military commander involved in a recent border dispute, saying he "just wanted to look cool and said things that are not useful." The remarks, part of a discussion about a May border clash that left a Cambodian soldier dead, sparked widespread public outrage. Paetongtarn apologized but defended her approach as a "negotiation technique."
Paetongtarn, 38, daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has been in office for just 10 months. Her family’s decades-long ties with Hun Sen, whom her father considers a "godbrother," have fueled accusations of foreign influence. Protesters, organized by a coalition opposed to Shinawatra-led governments for over 20 years, also criticized the government for failing to uphold democracy and the constitutional monarchy.
The protest marks another chapter in Thailand’s turbulent political landscape, with the Shinawatra family’s influence remaining a polarizing force.