Thailand`s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from duty following a Constitutional Court decision to launch an ethics investigation into a leaked phone conversation she had with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen.
The suspension adds to the country’s ongoing political instability, less than a year into her tenure.
The 38-year-old prime minister, who came to power just 10 months ago after the removal of her predecessor, now faces possible dismissal over the controversial call, which was confirmed as authentic by both sides.
In the audio recording, dated June 15, Paetongtarn referred to Hun Sen as “uncle,” criticized the Thai military’s actions in a recent border clash that left a Cambodian soldier dead, and appeared to offer political favors.
“You can just tell me, and I will take care of it,” she said in the call, which has drawn sharp backlash at home, with critics accusing her of compromising national sovereignty and breaching ethical standards.
Following the court`s ruling, Paetongtarn will retain her role as culture minister under a recent cabinet reshuffle but is barred from performing prime ministerial duties until a verdict is reached.
Her government’s stability has been further weakened by the recent withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai party from the ruling coalition and the threat of a no-confidence vote in parliament. Public approval for the prime minister has also plummeted, triggering anti-government protests in the capital.
Addressing the public in a press conference on Tuesday, Paetongtarn accepted the court’s decision and apologized to citizens who were unsettled by the incident. “My intentions were 100% sincere — to protect our sovereignty and safeguard peace. I never meant to harm national interests,” she said, adding that the call was a private negotiation effort that “should not have been made public.”
Paetongtarn’s suspension follows a familiar pattern in Thai politics. Her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, was also dismissed by the Constitutional Court for ethics violations. Earlier this year, the court dissolved the Move Forward Party, the leading vote-getter in the 2023 elections, and banned its leaders from politics for a decade.
The leaked call has reignited tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, which share a historically disputed 817-kilometer border.
While the two nations have engaged in both cooperation and conflict over the years, this latest episode underscores the delicate balance in regional diplomacy and domestic politics that continues to challenge Thailand’s leadership.
