A leaked phone conversation between Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian President Hun Sen surfaced online, allegedly revealing the Thai PM taking a strong stance against her military personnel.
The audio recording, which recently circulated on Thai social media, features voices believed to be Paetongtarn, Hun Sen, and an interpreter.
In the recording, the alleged Thai PM urges Hun Sen to show sympathy towards her and expresses a desire for peace between the two nations. At one point, the presumed Paetongtarn is heard saying…
“I don’t want uncle (presumed to be Hun Sen) to listen to the other side that is against us, like that second army commander. I don’t want uncle to feel angry about what the other side said.
“He (the military commander) said it to make himself look cool, but it was not useful for the country. It was not what the Thai government wanted. Thailand also wants peace like before the clash. I want uncle to pity me. I was told to be the PM in Cambodia now. Please let me know what you want.”
Following speculation, Hun Sen confirmed via his Facebook account today, June 18, that the call did take place, with Khliang Huot acting as interpreter. He stated that the leaked clip was just a small segment of a 17-minute conversation.
Hun Sen further claimed that the Thai premier had previously accused Cambodia of unprofessional conduct in both a press conference and social media posts, remarks that contradicted her tone during the private call.
He also admitted to sharing the full recording with around 80 Cambodian officials and declared he was willing to release the entire conversation, unedited, if Thailand requested it.
Amid growing public scrutiny, PM Paetongtarn held an urgent press conference this afternoon to address the situation. She confirmed that the voice in the recording was hers.
The 38 year old Thai PM explained that, according to the interpreter, Hun Sen had been upset by comments made by Thailand’s second army commander. Her aim, she said, was to de-escalate the situation and encourage Hun Sen not to take the remarks personally.
She clarified that she referred to herself as a “niece” and addressed Hun Sen as “uncle” because the conversation was private and reflected diplomatic negotiation techniques. She insisted that private conversations should not be made public.
PM Paetongtarn reaffirmed her commitment to peace between the two countries, but took a pointed jab at Hun Sen.
“Now, it’s clear that what he (Hun Sen) wants is public support for himself, without caring about the relationship between our two countries. He once told me his popularity had declined.
“I hope he gains the popularity he desires and makes it to the international stage, now that the private conversation has been recorded and leaked. It’s fine.”
Addressing allegations that she and her administration oppose the Thai military, the prime minister said the matter had been misunderstood.
She explained that because Thailand and Cambodia were on opposing sides during past tensions, it was normal for military leaders to make harsh remarks. Her intention, she said, was simply to prevent Hun Sen from overreacting.
She concluded the press conference by stating that she would no longer engage in private conversations with the Cambodian leader.
The story Paetongtarn admits to phone call with Hun Sen after audio leak as seen on Thaiger News.
