Thailand’s Prime Minister faces possible dismissal over leaked call with former Cambodian leader

Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office Tuesday, July 1 and faces possible dismissal following an ethics probe into a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen.

Paetongtarn, 38, has served as prime minister for just 10 months, stepping in after her predecessor was ousted. Her suspension adds fresh uncertainty to a country already grappling with years of political turmoil and leadership shake-ups.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court accepted a petition from 36 senators accusing Paetongtarn of breaching ethical standards under the constitution. In a unanimous vote, the court suspended her from prime ministerial duties pending its verdict. She will continue to serve as culture minister after a recent cabinet reshuffle.

The leaked call, confirmed authentic by both sides, sparked outrage in Thailand and fueled protests in Bangkok over the weekend. During the June 15 call, Paetongtarn was heard addressing Hun Sen as “uncle,” appearing to criticize her own military after a border clash that killed a Cambodian soldier. She also assured Hun Sen, “If you want anything, you can just tell me, and I will take care of it.”

Opponents accused her of compromising Thailand’s national interests. The scandal prompted the Bhumjaithai party, a major coalition partner, to pull out of her government, severely weakening her Pheu Thai party’s grip on power. Paetongtarn now faces plunging approval ratings and a looming no-confidence vote.

Addressing the court’s decision, Paetongtarn said her actions were intended to protect Thailand. “My intentions were more than 100% sincere — to safeguard our sovereignty, protect our soldiers’ lives, and preserve peace,” she told reporters, also apologizing to Thais who felt uneasy about the incident

Paetongtarn later sought to downplay the call, describing it as a negotiation tactic aimed at easing tensions and insisting it was not a pledge of allegiance. “It was a private conversation that should never have been made public,” she said.

Thailand and Cambodia share a 508-mile border that has long been a source of disputes and occasional military clashes. Relations have fluctuated between cooperation and rivalry over the years.

Paetongtarn came to power last year after the Constitutional Court ruled that then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had violated ethics rules, removing him from office. The same court also dissolved the popular Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the 2023 election, and banned its leaders from politics for a decade.