Thousands of protesters gathered in Thailand’s capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with Cambodia involving an armed confrontation May 28. The recorded phone call with Hun Sen was at the heart of the demonstration on Saturday and has set off a string of investigations in Thailand that could lead to Paetongtarn’s removal.
Outrage over the call revolved around Paetongtarn’s comments towards an outspoken regional army chief and her perceived attempts to appease Hun Sen, the current Cambodian Senate president, to ease tensions at the border.
Protesters held national flags and signs as they occupied parts of the streets around the Victory Monument in central Bangkok. At a huge stage set up at the monument, speakers took turns expressing love for Thailand following the intensified border dispute.
Protesters chanted, sang and danced to songs stoking nationalist sentiment.
Tatchakorn Srisuwan, 47, a guide from Surat Thani province, said he arrived in Bangkok by an overnight train to demand Paetongtarn’s resignation. “From a heart of a Thai person, we’ve never had a Prime Minister who’s so weak,” he said. “We don’t want to invade anyone, but we want to say that we are Thai and we want to protect Thailand’s sovereignty.”