Thai PM's 17-Minute Secret Phone Call With Ex-Cambodia Leader Sparks Storm

Last Updated:June 20, 2025, 14:35 IST

In the leaked recording, the 38-year-old Thai leader refers to Hun Sen as "Uncle", and labels a senior Thai military officer stationed at the border an "opponent".

The audio, which surfaced earlier this week, captures PM Paetongtarn negotiating border tensions with Cambodia's Senate President Hun Sen (AP)

A 17-minute phone call between Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia’s former leader has thrown the Thai government into political turmoil, triggered a coalition breakup, and stirred fears of yet another military coup in a country long familiar with political instability.

The audio, which surfaced earlier this week, captures PM Paetongtarn negotiating border tensions with Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen in the wake of a fatal skirmish near the “Emerald Triangle", a hotly contested no-man’s land where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos converge. One Cambodian soldier was killed in the May 28 clash, reigniting decades-old nationalist tensions.

But it wasn’t the content of the negotiation alone that sparked outrage; it was the tone. In the leaked recording, the 38-year-old Thai leader refers to Hun Sen as “Uncle", and labels a senior Thai military officer stationed at the border an “opponent". For many in Thailand, particularly the nationalist right and powerful military elite, these were not just diplomatic missteps but signs of a leader too conciliatory, even deferential, to a historical rival.

The backlash has been swift and unforgiving. On Thursday, the Bhumjaithai Party, the second-largest partner in the ruling coalition in Thailand, withdrew its support, accusing the PM of compromising national interests and undermining the military. The defection has left the government clinging to a fragile 255-seat majority in the 500-member House of Representatives.

Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut of the People’s Party has called the leak “the final straw" and demanded the immediate dissolution of Parliament and new elections. Protesters waving Thai flags and placards descended on Government House the same day, calling for Paetongtarn’s resignation. Some senators have vowed to file a formal impeachment motion, and complaints have begun flooding law enforcement channels.

Though Paetongtarn publicly apologised, insisting her comments were part of a “negotiation strategy" aimed at de-escalation, the damage appears deep and possibly irreversible. Speaking to the press Thursday, she expressed regret over the leak and declared she would no longer engage in private dialogue with Hun Sen, accusing him of pursuing domestic popularity at the cost of international diplomacy.

The leaked recording, reportedly shared by Hun Sen himself with over 80 Cambodian officials before being posted on his Facebook page, has drawn sharp condemnation from Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. In a formal protest lodged with the Cambodian ambassador, Thai officials accused Cambodia of a “serious breach of diplomatic etiquette and trust".

According to Associated Press, the Prime Minister has long faced criticism from nationalist quarters for her perceived soft approach toward Cambodia – a sentiment that has intensified because of her family’s historic ties with Hun Sen. Her father, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, famously regarded Hun Sen as a “godbrother" and once served as a Cambodian government adviser. Both Thaksin and his sister, former PM Yingluck Shinawatra, were ousted by military coups in 2006 and 2014 respectively.

There are growing fears history could repeat itself.

With the Thai military still an influential force in politics and holding institutional loyalty to the monarchy, many are questioning whether the current storm could end with yet another intervention. On Thursday, the Royal Thai Army issued a rare statement, calling on citizens to remain confident in the army’s commitment to “protecting national sovereignty through legal frameworks".

The phone call at the centre of the crisis was reportedly recorded on June 15 and discussed plans to lift cross-border restrictions imposed after the May clash. The controversy stems from more than just protocol breaches, it has reopened deep wounds from a long-simmering border dispute, especially over the UNESCO-listed Preah Vihear Temple. Though the International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, parts of the surrounding 4.6-square-kilometre area remain in dispute.

In Cambodia, nationalists responded to the May 28 clash by banning Thai imports, cancelling Thai dramas, and throttling cross-border bandwidth. The Thai side denies allegations of military provocation, including claims of drone surveillance.

For PM Paetongtarn, the moment is perilous. Her party, Pheu Thai, now governs with a weakened majority and diminished credibility. With her political fate hanging in the balance, analysts say she must urgently rebuild public trust and reaffirm sovereignty, or risk the same fate that befell her predecessors.

Location :

Bangkok, Thailand

First Published:

News world Thai PM's 17-Minute Secret Phone Call With Ex-Cambodia Leader Sparks Storm