Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from duty and could face dismissal pending an ethics probe over a leaked phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader, Hun Sen.
In the leaked call, which took place on June 15, 2025, Paetongtarn could be heard calling former Cambodian strongman Hun Sen “uncle” and appeared to criticize her own army’s actions after border clashes led to the death of a Cambodian soldier last month.
The embattled Prime Minister could be heard telling Hun Sen that she was under domestic pressure and urged him not to listen to the “opposite side,” in which she referred to an outspoken Thai army commander in Thailand’s northeast.
She also added that if Hun Sen “wants anything, he can just tell me, and I will take care of it.”
Her comments in the leaked audio sparked outrage in Thailand, and opponents accused her of compromising the country’s national interests.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court accepted a petition brought by a group of 36 senators who accused Paetongtarn of violating the constitution for breaching ethical standards in the leaked call, which was confirmed as authentic by both sides.
The court voted to suspend Paetongtarn from her prime ministerial duties until it reaches a verdict in the ethics case.
She will remain in the Cabinet as Culture Minister following a reshuffle.
Paetongtarn has faced increasing calls to resign, with anti-government protesters taking to the streets of the capital Bangkok last Saturday, after the leaked call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen over an escalating border dispute sparked widespread anger in the country.
Thailand and Cambodia have had a complicated relationship of both cooperation and rivalry in recent decades.
The two countries share a 508-mile (817-kilometer) land border – largely mapped by the French while they occupied Cambodia – that has periodically seen military clashes and been the source of political tensions.
In the wake of the scandal, Paetongtarn tried to downplay her remarks to Hun Sen, saying at a press conference that she was trying to diffuse tensions between the two neighbors and the “private” call “shouldn’t have been made public.”
The Prime Minister said that she was using a “negotiation tactic” and her comments were “not a statement of allegiance.”
Embattled Thai Prime Minister Accepts Court Decision
Following the ruling, Paetongtarn said in a press conference that she accepts the court’s decision and that her intention “was truly to act for the good of the country.”
“I want to make it clear that my intentions were more than 100% sincere — I acted for the country, to protect our sovereignty, to safeguard the lives of our soldiers, and to preserve peace in our nation.”
Paetongtarn Shinawatra
She also apologized to all her “fellow Thais who may feel uneasy or upset about this matter.”
The scandal prompted the Bhumjaithai party, a major partner of the Prime Minister’s government, to withdraw from the coalition last week, dealing a major blow to her Pheu Thai party’s ability to hold power.
Paetongtarn is also contending with plummeting approvals ratings and faces a no-confidence vote in parliament.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38, has only held the premiership for 10 months after replacing her predecessor, who was removed from office.
She became Prime Minister last year after the Constitutional Court ruled that her predecessor Srettha Thavisin had breached ethics rules and voted to dismiss him as Prime Minister.
Her suspension brings fresh uncertainty to the Southeast Asian kingdom, which has been roiled by years of political turbulence and leadership shake-ups.
Deputy Prime Minister, Suriya Juangroongruangkit will assume a caretaker role while the court decides the case against Paetongtarn, who has 15 days to respond.
READ ALSO: Merz Threatens Tighter Sanctions On Russia If Ukraine Talks Stall
