Latest news with #People'sParty
NHK
4 hours ago
- Politics
- NHK
Thai PM faces growing calls to step down
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is under growing pressure to step down, after a phone call was leaked in which the leader appears to undermine a Thai army commander. The prime minister had been speaking last weekend with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is currently senate president. The conversation delved into a border dispute between their countries, and Paetongtarn referred to a regional commander of the Thai army as the "opposite side." She later apologized and described her comments as a negotiation tactic. Paetongtarn on Friday met with the commander in an apparent show that the two sides have patched things up. He has said there is no issue as the prime minister had already explained what she meant in the talks with Hun Sen. But the audio clip has already triggered Bhumjaithai, the then-second largest party of her ruling coalition, to quit the alliance. Executives of the next largest United Thai Nation party, or UTN, say Paetongtarn should resign, while some of the party members oppose this. The coalition would lose majority in the lower house if UTN withdraws. The largest opposition, People's Party, demanded the prime minister take political responsibility for the leak and urged the dissolution of parliament.
The Star
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
People's Party rules out forming government with Anutin as PM
BANGKOK: People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut (pic) stated on Friday (June 20) that there is no possibility of the People's Party and Bhumjaithai Party forming a government with Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul as Prime Minister. Natthaphong made these comments following the political turmoil sparked by the leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. He noted that Paetongtarn has lost public confidence, and resignation is not a viable option under the current circumstances. He stated that the only solution is to dissolve the parliament, adding that with the remaining prime ministerial candidates, he believes none can provide a way forward for the country. He suggested that coalition parties would negotiate with Pheu Thai to secure as many ministerial positions as possible, rather than focusing on the country's issues. Despite this, he acknowledged that the current Pheu Thai government remains united but would operate with a fragile majority, undermining investor confidence. Natthaphong commented that the opposition might hold a no-confidence debate against the government, and the opposition is ready to fully perform its role as a check on power, pressuring the prime minister to dissolve parliament and return power to the people. Asked whether the People's Party would form a government with Bhumjaithai Party and nominate Anutin as Prime Minister, he firmly replied, 'Not at all. Our prime ministerial candidate list has been clear from the start—we cannot support anyone for the role at this time to resolve the situation.' On the issue of unity, Natthaphong expressed that it should always be present, but he opposed using the current internal political conflict and the national situation to fuel populist, nationalist sentiments that could call for extra-constitutional actions. He stated that the prime minister's visit to Ubon Ratchathani to work with the 2nd Army Region Chief was appropriate and emphasised the importance of maintaining civilian government leadership over the military. He expressed hope that the prime minister would perform her duties well to restore public confidence. When asked if ongoing protests might lead to actions outside the law, he stated that while people want a change of leadership, there are various ways to achieve it. 'The method we disagree with most is the call for extra-constitutional power leading to a coup,' he said. 'If the people truly want a way out, I believe the most appropriate solution is a new election, allowing the people's voice to decide the country's future.' When asked about claims from the government side regarding a "snake in the grass" within the People's Party, Natthaphong clarified that he had previously invited anyone with such claims to reveal names for fairness, so that the concerned parties could respond. He personally expressed confidence in all his fellow party members and reaffirmed that there is no truth to the allegations. He further stated that the formation of a government depends on the equation at hand, noting that at present, either the People's Party, Pheu Thai, and Bhumjaithai Party must unite to secure a majority and move forward. Natthaphong emphasised that the People's Party's stance remains clear: it will not join the government. - The Nation/ANN
GMA Network
12 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Thai PM under mounting pressure as ruling coalition hangs by a thread
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra speaks during a press conference following a leak on Wednesday of a phone call between her and Cambodia's Hun Sen, the influential former premier of Cambodia, amid a border dispute between the two countries, at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Panumas Sanguanwong BANGKOK — The government of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was hanging by a thread on Thursday following the withdrawal of a major coalition partner, building pressure on her to resign after just 10 months in power. Political neophyte Paetongtarn, the 38-year-old daughter of influential former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, is facing dwindling popularity, a stuttering economy and a territorial row with Cambodia that has sparked fears of military clashes. The second-biggest partner in the alliance, the Bhumjaithai Party, withdrew from the coalition late on Wednesday, citing damage caused to Thailand's integrity, sovereignty and its army after an embarrassing leak hours earlier of a phone call between the premier and Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen. The United Thai Nation, Chart Thai Pattana and Democrat parties announced separate meetings on Thursday to decide their next steps. A decision to withdraw by either the Democrats or UTN would leave Paetongtarn with a minority government and in an untenable position. The premier has not commented on Bhumjaithai's exit. Paetongtarn was seen entering the government's headquarters on Thursday, with police surrounding the complex in preparation for possible protests against her. Thai stocks .SETI fell as much as 2.4% in morning trading to the lowest level since April 9. In the leaked June 15 call, Paetongtarn is heard pressing former Cambodian leader Hun Sen for a peaceful resolution to the territorial dispute, and urging him not to listen to "the other side" in Thailand, including an outspoken Thai army general who she said "just wants to look cool." She later told reporters that was a negotiation tactic and there were no issues with the military. Paetongtarn met top security officials on Thursday to discuss the crisis with Cambodia. Flanked by the defense minister, army chief and armed forces commander, she apologized over the leak and called for unity. "We don't have time for infighting. We have to protect our sovereignty. The government is ready to support the military in all ways," she told reporters. 'The last straw' If Paetongtarn were to resign, parliament must convene to choose a new prime minister to form the next government, from a pool of only five remaining eligible candidates nominated before the 2023 election. Another option would be to dissolve parliament and call an election, a move that could favour the opposition People's Party, the largest force in parliament and the country's most popular party according to opinion polls. The People's Party, the reincarnation of the Move Forward Party that won most votes in the 2023 election but was disbanded last year by a court, said Thailand was paralyzed by problems that only a new election could solve. "The situation yesterday on the leaked phone call is the last straw," People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut told a press conference. "I want the prime minister to dissolve parliament. I think the people want a government that can solve problems for the people, a legitimate government that comes from a democratic process." Paetongtarn's administration has also been dogged by criticism from opponents about the influence of her divisive tycoon father Thaksin, who holds no official position but often comments on policy and has maintained a high profile since his return from self-exile in 2023. The turmoil and the army's assertiveness over the border dispute with Cambodia have again put the spotlight on Thailand's politically powerful military and its animosity with the Shinawatra family, whose governments it overthrew in 2006 and 2014 coups. The army on Thursday issued a statement affirming its "commitment to democratic principles" while emphasising Thai unity. "The chief of army has called upon the Thai people to maintain confidence in the Royal Thai Army's steadfast commitment to constitutional monarchy and ... protecting national sovereignty through established legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms," it said. — Reuters
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thai PM faces growing calls to quit in Cambodia phone row
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faced mounting calls to resign on Thursday after a leaked phone call she had with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen provoked widespread anger and a key coalition partner to quit. The coalition government led by Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party is on the brink of collapsing and 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 main opposition People's Party, which won most seats in 2023 but was blocked by conservative senators from forming a government, called on Paetongtarn to call an election. "What happened yesterday was a leadership crisis that destroyed people's trust," People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said in a statement. "People want a government that can solve problems and only way to do that is to have a legitimate government." The Palang Pracharath party, which led the government up to 2023 and is headed by General Prawit Wongsuwan -- who supported a 2014 coup against Paetongtarn's aunt Yingluck -- called for the premier to resign. A statement from the party said the leaked recording showed Paetongtarn was weak and inexperienced, and incapable of managing the country's security. Hundreds of anti-government protesters, some of them veterans of the royalist, anti-Thaksin "Yellow Shirt" movement of the late 2000s, demonstrated outside Government House demanding Paetongtarn quit. 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. tp-tak-pdw/dhw
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Thai PM faces growing calls to quit following Cambodia phone row
BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faced mounting calls Thursday to resign after a leaked phone call she had with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen provoked widespread anger and prompted a key coalition partner to quit. The coalition government led by Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party appears 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. In the 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. 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 meetings to discuss the situation later 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 Thailand's military said in a statement that army chief General Pana Claewplodtook 'affirms commitment to democratic principles and national sovereignty protection'. 'The Chief of Army emphasised that the paramount imperative is for 'Thai people to stand united' in collectively defending national sovereignty,' it added. Thailand's armed forces have 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 Paetongtarn is ousted in a coup 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 military. The main opposition People's Party, which won most seats in 2023 but was blocked by conservative senators from forming a government, called on Paetongtarn to organise an election. 'What happened yesterday was a leadership crisis that destroyed people's trust,' People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said in a statement. The Palang Pracharath party, which led the government up to 2023 and is headed by General Prawit Wongsuwan -- who supported a 2014 coup against Paetongtarn's aunt Yingluck -- said the leaked recording showed she was weak and inexperienced, incapable of managing the country's security. Hundreds of anti-government protesters, some of them veterans of the royalist, anti-Thaksin 'Yellow Shirt' movement of the late 2000s, demonstrated outside Government House Thursday demanding Paetongtarn quit. 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. 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 that brought Paetongtarn to office.
