Protesters in Bangkok Demand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra Resign Over Leaked Cambodia Call

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

BANGKOK — Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bangkok on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following the leak of a controversial phone conversation with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen.

Paetongtarn has faced growing criticism since a May border clash with Cambodia, which left a Cambodian soldier dead, reignited longstanding tensions. The political crisis escalated after a recording surfaced earlier this month, in which the prime minister could be heard addressing Hun Sen as “uncle” and assuring him she would “take care of” anything he needed, while criticizing a senior Thai military officer.

The remarks angered Thai nationalist groups, who accused Paetongtarn of disrespecting national sovereignty and bowing to Cambodian interests.

Chanting slogans like “Ung Ing, get out!”—referring to Paetongtarn’s nickname—protesters waved Thai flags and carried placards branding her a “traitor PM” and a “sell-out.” Police estimated more than 6,000 people had assembled by afternoon, with numbers expected to swell past 10,000 by evening, marking the largest demonstration since the Pheu Thai party returned to power in 2023.

> *“We stand united to protect our nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,”* declared Jade Donavanik, a legal scholar who addressed the protest. *“We will do whatever is necessary to defend the peace and future of Thailand.”

Saturday’s rally was spearheaded by the United Force of the Land, a coalition of nationalist activists who have also opposed Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted in a 2006 coup, and her aunt Yingluck, removed in 2014.

One coalition partner has already quit over the phone call controversy, leaving Paetongtarn with only a slim parliamentary majority. She now also faces legal challenges, with petitions accusing her of ethical violations and breaches of the Thai constitution.

The constitutional court is due to meet on Tuesday to decide whether to accept the case, and could suspend her from office while it deliberates. Final rulings could take months.

Paetongtarn has publicly apologized for the remarks, but the move has failed to ease mounting public anger.

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