Thousands rallied in Bangkok yesterday to demand the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen.
Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with Cambodia involving an armed confrontation on May 28. One Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested area.
The recorded phone call with Hun Sen was at the heart of the demonstration yesterday and has set off a string of investigations in Thailand that could lead to Paetongtarn’s removal.
Photo: Reuters
Outrage over the call mostly revolved around Paetongtarn’s comments toward an outspoken regional army commander and her perceived attempts to appease Hun Sen, the current Cambodian Senate president, to ease tensions at the border.
About 6,000 protesters joined the rally as of early afternoon yesterday, according to an estimate by the Bangkok police. Despite a downpour, they held national flags and placards around the Victory Monument in central Bangkok, as speakers took turns blasting the government. The participants chanted slogans, sang and danced to nationalist songs.
“From a heart of a Thai person, we have never had a prime minister who is so weak,” said Tatchakorn Srisuwan, 47, a guide from Surat Thani province. “We do not want to invade anyone, but we want to say that we are Thai and we want to protect Thailand’s sovereignty.”
There were many familiar faces from a conservative, pro-royalist group known as the Yellow Shirts. They are longtime foes of Paetongtarn’s father, former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who reportedly has a close relationship with Hun Sen and who was toppled in a military coup in 2006. Rallies organized by Yellow Shirts also helped oust the elected government of Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, in a 2014 coup.
Hun Sen yesterday said the border action by the Thai army was a serious contravention of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, despite the country’s good will in attempting to resolve the border issue.
“This poor Cambodia has suffered from foreign invasion, war and genocide, been surrounded and isolated and insulted in the past, but now Cambodia has risen on an equal face with other countries,” Hun Sen told an audience of thousands at the 74th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Cambodian People’s Party in Phnom Penh.
The scandal has broken Paetongtarn’s fragile coalition government, costing her Pheu Thai Party the loss of its biggest partner, the Bhumjaithai Party. Its departure left the 10-party coalition with 255 seats, just above the majority of the 500-seat house.
Paetongtarn also faces other investigations that could lead to her removal from office.
Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission secretary-general Sarote Phuengrampan on Wednesday said that his agency is investigating Paetongtarn for a serious breach of ethics over the Hun Sen phone call.
He did not give a possible timeline for a decision.
The prime minister on Tuesday said she was not worried and is ready to give evidence to support her case.
“It was clear from the phone call that I had nothing to gain from it, and I also did not cause any damage to the country,” she said.
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