Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Bangkok on Saturday demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as discontent mounts over her handling of a worsening border dispute with Cambodia.
The protest, held at the city’s Victory Monument, marks the largest demonstration against her government since the Pheu Thai Party returned to power in 2023. Organised by the United Force of the Land — a coalition of mostly nationalist activists — the rally comes as Paetongtarn faces growing political and economic challenges, including a looming no confidence vote and criticism from former coalition allies.
Protesters, waving Thai flags and chanting anti-government slogans, accused the 38-year-old prime minister of undermining national sovereignty following a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen. In the call, Paetongtarn appeared to criticise a senior Thai military commander, a move widely viewed as crossing a line in a country where the military wields strong political influence.
While Paetongtarn has apologised for her remarks and dismissed the protest as a peaceful exercise of democratic rights, her political standing continues to weaken. “It’s within people’s rights and I will not retaliate,” she told reporters on Saturday.
The backlash follows the abrupt withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai Party from her coalition last week, citing concerns about Thailand’s sovereignty in light of the leaked conversation. With the government now holding a slim majority, the prime minister could face a confidence vote when parliament reconvenes next week.
Adding to the pressure, a group of senators has petitioned both the Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate her conduct, raising the possibility of her removal from office.
The fallout has also triggered a rare diplomatic rift. In a fiery televised speech on Friday, Hun Sen launched a scathing personal attack on Paetongtarn and her family, calling for regime change in Thailand, an extraordinary intervention in Thai domestic politics.
Thailand’s foreign ministry responded by describing Hun Sen’s comments as “extraordinary” but reaffirmed that diplomacy remains the country’s preferred path for resolving the dispute with Cambodia.
The political instability threatens to derail Thailand’s economic recovery, with investor confidence already shaken by the coalition rift and regional tensions. Past protests against Shinawatra-linked governments have led to judicial interventions and military coups, in 2006 and 2014 respectively, raising fears of renewed political upheaval.
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