An increasing number of people are heading towards Government House in Bangkok today, to join a Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand rally and to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra over the leaked phone conversation between her and Hun Sen, the former prime minister of Cambodia.
Traffic police have closed roads to traffic around Government House, from the Chamai Maru Chet Bridge Bridge intersection to Suan Misakawan intersection until further notice.
The opposition Thai Sang Thai party has joined the Palang Pracharath and People’s parties in their call for Paetongtarn’s resignation today. People’s party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut said that the prime minister should take responsibility by dissolving the House and returning the power to the people through a general election. The party’s deputy leader, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, however, simply called for her resignation because she can no longer be trusted.
In another development today, Bhumjaithai MP Paradorn Prissananantakul announced his immediate resignation as second deputy House Speaker, after the party pulled out of the governing coalition last night.
All the party’s ministers, including party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, have tendered their resignations to the prime minister, effective today.
The Democrats, a coalition party, has brought forward its executive committee meeting to 5pm today, to discuss its position vis-à-vis the Hun Sen-Paetongtarn private phone call controversy.
The approximately 17-minute long phone call, on June 15, was leaked by Hun Sen who, according to the Khmer Times, admitted that it was necessary for him to record the conversation with Paetongtarn to prevent misunderstanding or distortion of the facts.
Hun Sen also admitted that he had copied the audio clip to about 80 members of his party and related agencies, adding that he was ready to leak it in full if it was so wished by Thailand.
He did as he said, and the 17-minute audio clip went viral on social media in Thailand, provoking a public furore against the Thai government, and Paetongtarn in particular.
Some of the damning remarks made by Paetongtarn, during her call with Hun Sen on June 15, include: (via an interpreter) “I don’t want Uncle (Hun Sen) to listen to people on the opposite side from us, someone like the commander of the Second Army Region (Lt-Gen Boonsin Padklang). He (Boonsin) belongs to the opposite side from us.”
“When you hear from them, I don’t want you to feel displeased or angry. As a matter of fact, it is not our intention because, for now, he (Boonsin) wants to look smart and what he said does not benefit the country. As a matter of fact, we want peace, as it was before the border clash. Hun Sen, have sympathy for me, as the Thai people want me to become the prime minister of Cambodia.”
“As a matter of fact, if you want anything, just say so, I will arrange it for you.”
