BANGKOK — Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will neither resign nor dissolve parliament despite mounting pressure over a diplomatic controversy with Cambodia that has thrown her government into crisis, a senior official from the ruling Pheu Thai Party confirmed on Saturday.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Sorawong Thienthong—Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and a key Pheu Thai figure—affirmed the prime minister’s commitment to continuing her duties despite intensifying calls for her resignation.
“The prime minister has clearly confirmed to us that she will continue to perform her duty to resolve various crises that the country is facing to the best of her ability,” Sorawong stated. “The government confirms that it will continue to work, not resign, and not dissolve parliament.”
Paetongtarn, the daughter of influential former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has faced fierce criticism following the leak of a private phone conversation with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen. In the recording, she appeared to express deference to Hun Sen and made disparaging remarks about a senior Thai military commander—remarks that have triggered a storm of domestic backlash and calls for her resignation.
The political fallout intensified midweek when the Bhumjaithai Party—Thailand’s second-largest coalition partner—announced its withdrawal from the ruling alliance, directly citing the leaked phone call. The United Thai Nation Party, another coalition member, is also reportedly considering demanding Paetongtarn’s resignation as a condition for continued support of the fragile government.
Although Paetongtarn has issued an apology for the controversial conversation, she has so far refrained from addressing the broader political crisis in public.
Pro-democracy activists and opposition groups, including those with a history of staging powerful mass demonstrations against previous Shinawatra-led governments, have announced plans for a major protest in Bangkok beginning June 28 to demand the prime minister’s resignation.
The political instability comes at a critical juncture for Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, which is grappling with economic uncertainty, declining investor confidence, and unresolved border tensions. Analysts warn that Paetongtarn’s decision to remain in office—despite eroding coalition support—could prolong the crisis and deepen political divisions.
Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Orathai Sriring; Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Mark Potter
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