Thai PM to meet army commander to defuse political crisis
The 38-year-old leader, in office for less than a year, was forced to make a public apology on Thursday as anger flared over the call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen that appeared online.
Her main coalition partner, the conservative Bhumjaithai party, pulled out on Wednesday saying she had insulted the country and the army, putting her government on the point of collapse.
There was better news for Paetongtarn, daughter of controversial billionaire ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, on Friday as another important coalition partner, the conservative Democrat Party, pledged to stay.
"The Democrat Party will remain in the government to help resolve the challenges the country is currently facing," the party said in a statement.
Another coalition party, Chartthaipattana, said late on Thursday that it would not withdraw, after urgent talks on the crisis with the Democrats and the United Thai Nation (UTN) party.
With the departure of Bhumjaithai, the government led by Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party now holds a razor-thin majority in parliament.
Losing another major partner would likely see the government collapse, plunging the kindgom into fresh political instability as it grapples with a stuttering economy and US President Donald Trump's threatened trade tariffs.
- Apology -
Paetongtarn will travel to Thailand's northeast on Friday to patch things up with Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, the commander of the forces in northeast Thailand, where the border clashes took place.
She referred to Boonsin as her "opponent" in the leaked call with Hun Sen, in which the two leaders discussed the ongoing border dispute.
Thailand has formally protested to Cambodia about the leak, calling it a breach of diplomatic protocol that had damaged trust between the two sides.
Paetongtarn was criticised as being weak and deferential in the call with Hun Sen, a veteran politician known as a wily operator, but her comments about the army commander were potentially the most damaging to her.
Thailand's armed forces have long played a powerful role in the kingdom's politics and politicians are usually careful not to antagonise them.
When she made her public apology for the leaked call on Thursday, Paetongtarn did so standing in front of army and police chiefs, in a show of unity.
There were small street protests on Thursday and calls from across the political spectrum for her to quit or announce an election, but her apology and backing from some of her coalition partners appear to have shored up her position for now.
But with a tiny majority she remains vulnerable, not least because of the awkward nature of her coalition.
Paetongtarn took office in August last year at the head of an uneasy alliance between Pheu Thai and a group of conservative, pro-military parties whose members have spent much of the past 20 years battling against her father.
Thaksin, twice elected PM, was thrown out in a military coup in 2006, and the bitter tussle between the conservative, royalist establishment and the political movement he founded has dominated Thai politics throughout that time.
Former Manchester City owner Thaksin, 75, still enjoys huge support from the rural base whose lives he transformed with populist policies in the early 2000s.
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France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Thai PM to meet army commander to defuse political crisis
The 38-year-old leader, in office for less than a year, was forced to make a public apology on Thursday as anger flared over the call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen that appeared online. Her main coalition partner, the conservative Bhumjaithai party, pulled out on Wednesday saying she had insulted the country and the army, putting her government on the point of collapse. There was better news for Paetongtarn, daughter of controversial billionaire ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, on Friday as another important coalition partner, the conservative Democrat Party, pledged to stay. "The Democrat Party will remain in the government to help resolve the challenges the country is currently facing," the party said in a statement. Another coalition party, Chartthaipattana, said late on Thursday that it would not withdraw, after urgent talks on the crisis with the Democrats and the United Thai Nation (UTN) party. With the departure of Bhumjaithai, the government led by Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party now holds a razor-thin majority in parliament. Losing another major partner would likely see the government collapse, plunging the kindgom into fresh political instability as it grapples with a stuttering economy and US President Donald Trump's threatened trade tariffs. - Apology - Paetongtarn will travel to Thailand's northeast on Friday to patch things up with Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, the commander of the forces in northeast Thailand, where the border clashes took place. She referred to Boonsin as her "opponent" in the leaked call with Hun Sen, in which the two leaders discussed the ongoing border dispute. Thailand has formally protested to Cambodia about the leak, calling it a breach of diplomatic protocol that had damaged trust between the two sides. Paetongtarn was criticised as being weak and deferential in the call with Hun Sen, a veteran politician known as a wily operator, but her comments about the army commander were potentially the most damaging to her. Thailand's armed forces have long played a powerful role in the kingdom's politics and politicians are usually careful not to antagonise them. When she made her public apology for the leaked call on Thursday, Paetongtarn did so standing in front of army and police chiefs, in a show of unity. There were small street protests on Thursday and calls from across the political spectrum for her to quit or announce an election, but her apology and backing from some of her coalition partners appear to have shored up her position for now. But with a tiny majority she remains vulnerable, not least because of the awkward nature of her coalition. Paetongtarn took office in August last year at the head of an uneasy alliance between Pheu Thai and a group of conservative, pro-military parties whose members have spent much of the past 20 years battling against her father. Thaksin, twice elected PM, was thrown out in a military coup in 2006, and the bitter tussle between the conservative, royalist establishment and the political movement he founded has dominated Thai politics throughout that time. Former Manchester City owner Thaksin, 75, still enjoys huge support from the rural base whose lives he transformed with populist policies in the early 2000s.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Thailand's 'Yellow Shirts' return to streets demand PM quit
The scandal rocked Paetongtarn's coalition after the Bhumjaithai party, a key partner, pulled out on Wednesday, accusing her of undermining the country and insulting the dignity of the military. The leaked call, in which Paetongtarn referred to the Thai army's northeastern commander as her opponent and addressed Hun Sen as "uncle" has drawn strong public backlash. The protest, held in scorching tropical heat, drew mostly elderly demonstrators wearing yellow shirts -- the colour strongly associated with Thailand's monarchy -- who accused the 38-year-old leader of "lacking diplomatic skills" and "endangering national interests". "I was very disappointed when I heard the (leaked) audio," Kanya Hanotee, 68, a temple worker told AFP. "She lacks negotiation skills. Who does she think she is? This country is not hers." Protesters waved Thai flags and placards labelling Paetongtarn a "traitor", and chanted "Get out!" and "Go to hell!" while dozens of riot police stood nearby. Many in the crowd were longtime supporters of the conservative, pro-royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement, which has fiercely opposed the Shinawatra political dynasty since the 2000s. Kaewta, 62, a housewife from Bangkok said she joined Yellow Shirt protests near Bangkok's Democracy Monument two decades ago. "I didn't support any political party. All I knew was that I hated Thaksin and his family," she told AFP. "Our politicians are all corrupt." 20-year battle The battle between the conservative pro-royal establishment and Thaksin's political movement backed by its own "Red Shirt" supporters has dominated Thai politics for more than 20 years. Yellow Shirts, backed by Royalists and business elites, led 2008 protests that shut Bangkok's airports, stranded tourists, and helped topple a Thaksin-linked government. In 2010, pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt" protesters rallied in Bangkok in opposition to the military-backed government, ending in a bloody crackdown that left more than 90 people dead. "The power has been passed from her father to her aunt, and now to her," said Mek Sumet, 59, an electrical equipment seller who took part in the 2008 Don Mueang airport occupation. "She doesn't think of the country but only of herself," he told AFP. The kingdom has had a dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, and the current crisis has inevitably triggered rumours that another may be in the offing. Despite Thailand's long history of coups, some protestors openly welcomed the idea of another military intervention. "I want the military to take control," Kanya told AFP.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Thai PM faces growing calls to quit in Cambodia phone row
The coalition government led by Shinawatra's Pheu Thai party is on the brink of collapse, throwing the kingdom into a fresh round of political instability as it seeks to boost its spluttering economy and avoid US President Donald Trump's swingeing trade tariffs. The conservative Bhumjaithai party, Pheu Thai's biggest partner, pulled out on Wednesday saying Paetongtarn's conduct in the leaked call had wounded the country and the army's dignity. Losing Bhumjaithai's 69 MPs leaves Paetongtarn with barely enough votes to scrape a majority in parliament, and a snap election looks a clear possibility -- barely two years after the last one in May 2023. Two coalition parties, the United Thai Nation and Democrat Party, will hold urgent meetings to discuss the situation later on Thursday. Losing either would likely mean the end of Paetongtarn's government and either an election or a bid by other parties to stitch together a new coalition. Resignation calls The Palang Pracharath party, which led the government up to 2023 and is headed by General Prawit Wongsuwan -- who supported a coup against Paetongtarn's aunt Yingluck -- called for the premier to resign. The party's statement said the leaked recording showed Paetongtarn was weak and inexperienced, and incapable of managing the country's security. "This already has proved that Thailand has a leader who will lead the country to a bad situation and weakness," the statement said. Another opposition party, Thai Sang Thai, also called for Paethongtarn to step down, saying her conversation with Hun Sen had damaged the kingdom's sovereignty and the army. In the leaked phone call, Paetongtarn is heard discussing an ongoing border dispute with Hun Sen -- who stepped down as Cambodian prime minister in 2023 after four decades but still wields considerable influence. She addresses the veteran leader as "uncle" and refers to the Thai army commander in the country's northeast as her opponent, a remark that sparked fierce criticism on social media, particularly on Pheu Thai page and Royal Thai Army page. Thailand's armed forces have a long played a powerful role in the kingdom's politics, and politicians are usually careful not to antagonise them. The kingdom has had a dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, and the current crisis has inevitably triggered rumours that another may be in the offing. If she is ousted she would be the third member of her family, after her aunt Yingluck and father Thaksin Shinawatra, to be kicked out of office by the army. Awkward coalition Paetongtarn, 38, came to power in August 2024 at the head of an uneasy coalition between Pheu Thai and a group of conservative, pro-military parties whose members have spent much of the last 20 years battling against her father. Growing tensions within the coalition erupted into open warfare in the past week as Pheu Thai tried to take the interior minister job away from Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul. The loss of Bhumjaithai leaves Pheu Thai's coalition with just a handful more votes than the 248 needed for a majority. The battle between the conservative pro-royal establishment and Thaksin's political movement has dominated Thai politics for more than 20 years. Former Manchester City owner Thaksin, 75, still enjoys huge support from the rural base whose lives he transformed with populist policies in the early 2000s. But he is despised by Thailand's powerful elites, who saw his rule as corrupt, authoritarian and socially destabilising. Thaksin returned to Thailand in 2023 as Pheu Thai took power after 15 years in self-exile overseas. The current Pheu Thai-led government has already lost one prime minister, former businessman Srettha Thavisin, who was kicked out by a court order last year, bringing Paetongtarn to office.
