A phone conversation between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen on a long-running border dispute was leaked, putting her coalition government in danger of disintegrating.
A major coalition partner of 38-year-old Paetongtarn’s Peu Thai party resigned as a result of the disclosure, which infuriated the people.
She called a Thai military commander “uncle” and seemed to disparage Hun Sen, a family friend and prominent politician in South East Asia.
As the pressure mounted on her, Paetongtarn said on Thursday, “I would like to apologise for the leaked audio of my conversation with a Cambodian leader which has caused public resentment.”
