Bangkok: Thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of Thailand’s capital on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The protests followed the public release of a controversial phone call that sparked outrage across the nation.
The leaked call, involving the Prime Minister and a senior Cambodian leader, was intended to ease tensions over a long-standing border dispute. However, Paetongtarn’s reference to the Cambodian leader as “Uncle” and her description of Thailand’s border military commander as her “rival” angered many Thais, who viewed it as an insult to national sovereignty.
A major coalition partner recently withdrew support from Paetongtarn’s government, accusing her of yielding unnecessarily to Cambodia and undermining Thailand’s military authority.
On Saturday, nearly 10,000 demonstrators gathered at Bangkok’s Victory Monument, waving Thai flags and holding placards that read “Evil Prime Minister, Step Down!” The protest was largely led by veteran activists from the “Yellow Shirt” movement, a royalist group known for its fierce opposition to Paetongtarn’s father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, during the 2000s.
One protest leader addressing the crowd accused the Prime Minister of “betraying the nation.” Many protesters, mostly elderly, carried banners defending Thailand’s sovereignty.
Seventy-year-old Seri Sawangmue, a prominent protester, told AFP, “After hearing that leaked call, I knew I could never trust her again. I have survived many political crises, and I know where this country is heading. The Prime Minister appears willing to sacrifice our sovereignty.”
Another protester, 64-year-old Jamnong Kalana, admitted she was once a supporter of the “Red Shirt” pro-Thaksin movement but had now switched sides. “It hurts to see fellow Thais who do not love this country,” she said, expressing her frustration.
Thailand remains deeply polarized between pro-establishment royalist groups like the Yellow Shirts and pro-Thaksin supporters, historically known as the Red Shirts. This latest political crisis threatens to deepen the country’s long-running political divisions.
