Cambodia’s strongman Hun Sen today severed his three-decade relationship with the Shinawatra family, accusing Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of committing an act of national treason during a leaked conversation with him.
Hun Sen said his criticism of Paetongtarn stemmed from her alleged harsh remarks about Thailand’s Second Army Region Commander, Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, during their private talk.
The Thai public became aware of the conversation—initially considered private by Paetongtarn—after it was recently leaked by Hun Sen’s associates, sparking public outrage and calls for her resignation.
In the recording, Paetongtarn is heard saying that Lt Gen Boonsin “was an opponent of Thailand and would say anything to make himself look cool.”
During a live broadcast of a meeting with local council members in Preah Vihear province, Hun Sen stated: “When a head of government speaks with a foreign figure, especially one not of Thai nationality, and uses the opportunity to disparage their own military in order to win favour with the foreign party, such behaviour amounts to treason.”
According to Khmer Times, Hun Sen continued by saying that, in an attempt to win him over, Paetongtarn willingly insulted her own military commander.
“How is this perceived in Thailand, I wonder? If it were in Cambodia, it would unquestionably be considered treason—conspiring with foreigners to denigrate one’s own military.”
“Perhaps in Thailand this is seen as normal, as Thailand’s own affair,” he added, “but in Cambodia, no one is allowed to insult or belittle our armed forces.”
Hun Sen claimed that this was the first time he had ever commented on Lt Gen Boonsin. Until now, he said, he had refrained out of respect for the role of military commanders in defending their nations—whether they are from Cambodia or elsewhere—as he believes all soldiers must uphold dignity and strength.
He further said that, according to his advisors, Thai authorities had privately acknowledged that if Paetongtarn were to consolidate more power, the commander in question could potentially face imprisonment.
What puzzled him, he said, was why the Thai prime minister would go so far as to criticize her own military just to please him—especially when he had no interest in Thailand’s internal affairs.
Directing his message to Paetongtarn, Hun Sen said, “It’s unacceptable to criticize your own military like that. You know too little about Hun Sen to think you can fool me with such tactics in negotiations.”
“I regret that a 30-year friendship was destroyed by a friend’s daughter,” he added, referring to Paetongtarn. “The Thai prime minister may insult her own military, but she cannot insult me.”
The relationship between the Shinawatra family—particularly Thaksin Shinawatra—and Hun Sen dates back three decades. When Thaksin fled a court trial on corruption charges and lived in self-exile abroad, Hun Sen appointed him as his personal economic advisor.
Hun Sen recently revealed that Thaksin and his sister, former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, once stayed at his residence in Takmao. He even named two rooms after them.
Thaksin, Yingluck, and other members of the Shinawatra family have also been invited to Hun Sen’s private birthday celebrations.
