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Thai PM's Fate Hangs in Balance as Coalition Allies Weigh Future

Thai PM's Fate Hangs in Balance as Coalition Allies Weigh Future

Bloomberga day ago

The political fate of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra remained uncertain Thursday after mounting opposition calls and street protests for her to resign following a leaked phone call in which she criticized her army.
The government was at risk of collapse after the exit of the second-largest party in the coalition, the conservative Bhumjaithai Party, on Wednesday. Three parties in the 10-member alliance, on whom the fate of the coalition hung, met on Thursday, but only one said it would stick with Paetongtarn's administration. The other two parties didn't disclose their decisions.

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