On June 19, hundreds of protests gathered outside the Government Building in Bangkok, Thailand, demanding that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign after a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, now Chairman of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), Chairman of the Cambodian Senate.
According to AFP, the leaked phone call showed Ms. Paetongtarn calling the military commander of the northeastern region of Thailand "an opponent" and calling Mr. Hun Sen "an uncle". These words have met with strong reactions from the public, and at the same time shook the stability of the ruling coalition.
Speaking at a press conference on June 19, the Thai Prime Minister apologized for the phone call with Mr. Hun Sen, saying he would be more cautious with his words. She also stressed that the government and armed forces must cooperate to respond to any threat to national security.
Bhumjaithai Party - an important partner in the ruling coalition - announced its withdrawal from the government on June 18, accusing the Prime Minister of "insulting the army's honor and causing damage to the country".
The June 19 protest took place under the hot sun, attracting the majority of the elderly to wear yellow shirts - a symbolic color associated with the Thai monarchy. The participants shouted the slogan "Retire!" under the watch of the anti-violence police force.
I was really disappointed to hear the recording, said Kanya Hanotee, 68, who works at a temple in Bangkok. She doesnt have negotiating skills. This country is not hers.
Most of the demonstrators were veteran members of the yellow shirt movement - a royal and conservative force that has strongly opposed the Shinawatra family since the 2000s. Some said they participated in the protests in 2008, when Bangkok airport was blocked.
I dont support any party, I just know that I dont like Mr. Thaksins family, said Kaewta, 62, a housewife from Bangkok.
The Shinawatra family, with members who have served as Prime Ministers such as Thaksin, Yingluck and now Paetongtarn, has always been the focus of prolonged political controversies in Thailand.
For more than 20 years, the confrontation between the yellow Ao Dai faction (royal guard, military body, elite) and the Red Ao Dai faction (Taksin's family support) has shaped the political life of this country.
