Thousands of protesters gathered in Bangkok demanding prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s resignation after a leaked phone call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen sparked public outrage.
The rally, the largest since her party took power in 2023, was led by long-time opponents of the Shinawatra political dynasty, accusing her government of failing to uphold democratic principles.
Protesters claim Ms Paetongtarn is being influenced by Hun Sen and her father, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Undeterred by the monsoon rain, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Victory Monument in Bangkok on Saturday, blocking roads, waving Thai flags and holding placards with slogans like “PM is enemy of state”.
Protest leader Parnthep Pourpongpan declared that Ms Paetongtarn “should step aside because she is the problem”, according to BBC News.
Ms Paetongtarn, 38, is the daughter of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned to Thailand last August after 15 years in exile. In office for just 10 months, she is the country’s second female prime minister, following in the footsteps of her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.
The campaign group – the United Power of the Land to Protect Sovereignty group – vowed to intensify its campaign against the prime minister after a surprisingly large crowd joined their rally at Bangkok’s Victory Monument on Saturday, The Bangkok Post reported.
The group has also rejected claims by the Pheu Thai Party and others that they are advocating for a military coup.
Besides demanding the prime minister’s immediate resignation, the group has called for all coalition parties to withdraw from the government. In a statement, the group accused the executive branch and parliament of failing to act “in the interest of democracy and constitutional monarchy”, according to Reuters.
Veteran Thai protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul told supporters he does not want the political crisis to escalate into another military coup, but added he “won’t object if the military does something”, The Bangkok Post reported.
Speaking to thousands at Bangkok’s Victory Monument on Saturday evening, he said: “Do not bring in those generals [to govern]. Let people like us in [the government],” he said.
Mr Sondhi told the crowd: “If we forget history, we are doomed to repeat it. Twenty years ago, I stood on a stage calling for Thaksin to step down. Now, two decades later, I’m forced to call for his daughter’s resignation.”
“This is not the last protest. If change must come from the streets again, then so be it.”
In the call with Hun Sen, Ms Paetongtarn appeared to blame Thailand’s military for escalating border tensions with Cambodia and used a conciliatory tone, including referring to Mr Hun Sen as “uncle”.
The call came after a border dispute escalated into an armed clash on 28 May in a small piece of no man’s land claimed by both countries. The clash resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.
The call, leaked after the former Cambodian leader reportedly distributed it to some 80 politicians, outraged nationalists in Thailand and led to the Bhumjaithai party, Ms Paetongtarn’s largest coalition partner, quitting the government and bringing it near collapse.
The Thai prime minister has publicly apologised for the leaked call and insisted that it was a negotiation tactic, but critics claim it undermined Thailand’s national sovereignty. The two countries share a thorny relationship, especially over border disputes.
“I would like to apologise for the leaked audio of my conversation with a Cambodian leader, which has caused public resentment,” Ms Paetongtarn said earlier.
Hun Sen, on his part, had taken to Facebook to share the entire phone conversation “to avoid any misunderstanding or misrepresentation in official matters”.
Ms Paetongtarn explained that the call to Hun Sen was made from her personal phone, and she had no knowledge it was being recorded or would be made public. She said her government remained fully committed to supporting the Thai military.
The Shinawatra family in Thailand and the Hun family in Cambodia have long-standing personal ties, reportedly referring to each other as “godbrothers”. Critics in Thailand see this closeness as compromising Thai interests, particularly in sensitive border negotiations.
Meanwhile, support for Ms Paetongtarn has dropped significantly, according to a new political survey conducted between 19 June and 25 June, The Nation Thailand reported. It polled 2,500 people across various demographics and regions.
Nonarit Bisonyabut, a senior researcher at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), said the sharp decline in support for Ms Paetongtarn and her government reflected a rising public appetite for new solutions to the country’s problems, potentially even paving the way for a general election to bring in alternative policy visions.
“The decline in the prime minister’s popularity reflects an accelerating loss of public confidence in the government and its past performance,” Mr Nonarit said.
Kriangkrai Thiannukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said: “Mass protests are not a good sign. They directly undermine Thailand’s leverage in international negotiations. Next week, the government will enter retaliatory tariff talks with the United States, led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Ministry officials. If political unrest makes headlines, it could affect Thailand’s credibility, weakening its negotiating position.”
On Tuesday, a constitutional court in Thailand will consider the petition for Ms Paetongtarn’s removal.
