Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s coalition government is on the brink of collapse following the leak of a private phone call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, in which they discussed a long-standing border dispute.
The leaked audio, in which the 38-year-old leader referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and appeared to criticize a Thai military commander, has triggered a public outrage and political backlash.
Many critics viewed her tone and comments as overly deferential and damaging to national interests.
In the call, Paetongtarn reportedly told Hun Sen that a Thai commander involved in managing recent border tensions “just wanted to look cool and said things that are not useful.”
Critics accuse her of undermining the Thai military, a politically powerful institution in the country.
Following the leak, Bhumjaithai, the second-largest party in her Pheu Thai-led coalition, announced its exit from the alliance, significantly weakening her parliamentary majority.
Her coalition now holds a slim majority, which will be lost if more of its partners decide to leave.
“I would like to apologise for the leaked audio of my conversation with a Cambodian leader, which has caused public resentment,” Paetongtarn said on Thursday, as pressure mounted on her to resign.
Opposition leaders have called for her resignation, accusing her of endangering Thailand’s sovereignty and showing undue closeness to a foreign power.
Meanwhile, the Thai leader defended the call as a “negotiation technique” but opposition figures have called on her to resign.
Hun Sen, for his part, admitted he had shared the audio with around 80 politicians, one of whom leaked it. He later posted the full 17-minute clip on his Facebook page.
Thailand’s foreign ministry, in a formal letter to the Cambodian ambassador, expressed “deep disappointment” over the leak, calling it a breach of diplomatic trust.
The ministry warned that the leak could damage ongoing efforts to resolve the border dispute in good faith.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia escalated in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a border clash.
Since then, Cambodia has imposed several retaliatory measures, including banning Thai imports (such as fruits, vegetables, electricity, and internet services), and removing Thai television dramas from its airwaves.
The current border dispute dates back more than a century to French colonial rule in Cambodia, and recent violence has brought bilateral relations to their lowest point in over a decade.
Paetongtarn, who became prime minister in August last year following the removal of her predecessor by the Constitutional Court, is Thailand’s youngest-ever leader and only the second woman to hold the office—after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.
She is also the daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, whose longstanding ties with Hun Sen have further inflamed criticism.
As the political fallout continues, two other coalition parties are expected to meet soon to decide whether to remain in the fragile ruling alliance.
