Analysis Paetongtarn Under Fire: Leaked Call with Hun Sen Sparks National Outcry

[webfact]

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra prepares to leave after talking to reporters at Government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is in a tight spot after a leaked phone call with Cambodia's Hun Sen raised suspicions she's not prioritising Thailand's interests.

 

The controversial chat led to protests and legal petitions, intensifying demands for her resignation. But she's hanging on, with strategies in place to stabilise her Party's standing in Parliament.

 

On June 19, Paetongtarn expressed regret for the debacle but ignored calls for her exit, even as protesters gathered outside Government House demanding accountability.

 

Legal complaints allege she's breached ethical and national security codes, while political manoeuvres could lead to a review by the Constitutional Court.

 

Nonetheless, a slim majority supports her for now, offering a semblance of security.

 

Olarn Thinbangtieo, a Burapha University academic, noted that the Pheu Thai Party is striving to keep its government afloat and fulfil agendas like casino legalisation.

 

The departure of coalition partner Bhumjaithai left gaps, but with 260 loyal MPs, the coalition may steer through. Nevertheless, it must promise ministerial posts to keep others in check.

 

The leak's repercussions are severe. Hun Sen's publicised clip showed the PM in a controversial light, as she entreated Hun Sen for assistance in calming cross-border tensions.

 

Her soft approach was met with criticism, casting her negotiation strategy as "naïve and pathetic", juxtaposed with Thailand's more assertive military stance.

 

The ethical dimensions compound the crisis. If Paetongtarn finds her judgement questionable, stepping down might be obligatory, with options for new leadership from within or new elections.

 

Paetongtarn is considering dissolving the House to force elections, though experts see this as a risky gamble, inviting greater political upheaval.

 

Such actions put Pheu Thai in a complicated bind, facing potential opposition if snap elections don't ensure a House majority. The party previously abandoned a progressive coalition for conservative alliances but risks further isolation if fortunes turn against them.

 

Talk of a coup emerges, though analysts, like Olarn, indicate current discord is unlikely to prompt military intervention. However, dissatisfaction grows as critics accuse Paetongtarn of compromising national interests for personal relationships.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Thai PBS World 2025-06-21

 

 

[ChrisY1]

Sometimes these people can be so damn infantile!

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Olarn Thinbangtieo, a Burapha University academic, noted that the Pheu Thai Party is striving to keep its government afloat and fulfil agendas like casino legalisation.

But forgetting all it's campaign promises... PTP is for itself not the people.

[Keep Right]

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra should have read President Trump's book, "The Art of the Deal" before her call to Hun. I am sure the outcome would have been much more favorable. 

[Cornish Pasty]

7 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Sometimes these people can be so damn infantile!

….sometimes??

 

mark.

[TheAppletons]

4 hours ago, Keep Right said:

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra should have read President Trump's book, "The Art of the Deal" before her call to Hun. I am sure the outcome would have been much more favorable. 

 

  "I am sure the outcome would have been much more favorable.....for Hun Sen."

 

  There you go, fixed that for you.