The constitutional court in Thailand is set to determine on Friday whether suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra should be ousted from her position due to comments she made during a leaked phone call to the former leader of Cambodia.
In June, the youngest prime minister in Thailand’s history was suspended following the release of a recording of her conversation with Hun Sen, the former Cambodian leader, about a persistent border dispute between their countries. Critics pointed out that she had failed to defend Thailand’s interests during the call, as she referred to Hun Sen as “uncle” and proposed to assist with any requests he had. Additionally, she made negative remarks about a senior Thai military commander.
Paetongtarn, who is the daughter of billionaire former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra, apologized for her comments, claiming they were a negotiation strategy. The leaked conversation has resulted in a significant political crisis for her government, just a year into her term.
In June, a coalition partner withdrew support, leaving her with a narrow majority. Meanwhile, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bangkok, urging her to step down.
The court case originates from a petition submitted by a group of senators in June, who accused her of lacking integrity and violating moral standards. Should Paetongtarn be removed, Thailand could experience a new period of political instability, as it is unclear who would succeed her.
The phone call not only caused chaos within Paetongtarn’s government but also led to a deterioration in Thai-Cambodian relations. After the recording was leaked, the border dispute escalated into a five-day conflict that resulted in several deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.
The anger over the phone call has been intensified by the perception that her family’s personal relationship with Hun Sen is interfering with Thailand’s national interests. The full version of the recording was published by Hun Sen, who also threatened to expose further compromising information about Paetongtarn’s father, Thaksin. Although Hun Sen and Thaksin were once friends, their relationship has been strained by an unknown feud.
If Paetongtarn is impeached, it will be the fourth time a family member has had their term cut short, either by a military coup or court ruling. In 2006, Thaksin was toppled in a military coup, and his brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, who was briefly prime minister, was forced to leave power by a court ruling in 2008. In 2014, Thaksin’s sister Yingluck was ousted by a court decision, followed by a military coup.
The family has been engaged in a power struggle with Thailand’s military royalist establishment for many years. However, their survival is also threatened by declining support among voters.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/29/thailand-prime-minister-paetongtarn-shinawatra-court-ruling-cambodia-hun-sen-phone-call
