Thai PM faces court showdown over leaked call to Hun Sen
Petition claims Paetongtarn’s soft Cambodia stance breached serious ethical standards
Thailand’s political temperature is set to soar next week as the Constitutional Court gears up to decide whether to suspend Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra over a controversial leaked audio clip involving former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.
Former Constitutional Court judge Jaral Phakdeethanakul has come out swinging, predicting the court will accept a petition against the Thai premier on July 1 and issue an immediate suspension.
Speaking during a live phone-in on Nation TV’s Kom Chad Luek, Jaral said his view was based on years of experience on the bench.
The petition, filed by Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja, accuses the PM of a serious ethical breach over a private conversation with Hun Sen, in which Paetongtarn allegedly adopted a lenient stance on Cambodia amid escalating Thai-Cambodian border tensions.
“She’s already admitted the clip is real,” Jaral noted. “It clearly shows her taking a soft approach with Cambodia, which raises questions about her ability to lead during a national security crisis.”
The leaked audio, which Jaral claimed shows Paetongtarn “begging” Hun Sen, has fuelled outrage online and reignited concerns about Thailand’s response to recent border skirmishes. Critics say her tone in the clip made Thailand look weak.
“I see it’s extremely necessary for the Constitutional Court to move up the petition for urgent deliberation,” said Jaral, adding that public pressure and ongoing military tensions justify an immediate response.
He warned that her continued presence in office could aggravate the dispute, particularly after she allegedly referred to Thailand’s Second Army Area as an “opponent”—a statement that the Senate cited as further evidence of her compromised leadership.
Jaral also claimed the court already has a full translation of the clip and doesn’t need further investigation before acting. He expects the court to issue an injunction and suspend her from duty while the case is reviewed, reported The Nation.
A final ruling could take six to eight months, but Jaral insists decisive action is needed now.
He dismissed concerns that suspending Paetongtarn could trigger a military coup.
“If the military wanted a coup, it would’ve acted when the clip first surfaced,” he said.
Jaral floated Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai as a potential caretaker, suggesting he would be better suited to lead during such volatile times.
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