Protesters rally in Bangkok to demand Thai prime minister’s resignation

BANGKOK: Thousands rallied in Thailand’s capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, part of the brewing political turmoil set off by a leaked phone call with former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Paetongtarn faces growing dissatisfaction over her handling of a recent border dispute with Cambodia involving an armed confrontation May 28. One Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested area.

The recorded phone call with Hun Sen was at the heart of the demonstration Saturday and has set off a string of investigations in Thailand that could lead to Paetongtarn’s removal.

Outrage over the call mostly revolved around Paetongtarn’s comments toward an outspoken regional army commander and her perceived attempts to appease Hun Sen, the current Cambodian Senate president, to ease tensions at the border.

About 17,000 protesters joined the rally as of Saturday evening, according to an estimate by the Bangkok police. Despite a downpour in the afternoon, they held national flags and placards around the Victory Monument in central Bangkok as speakers took turns blasting the government. The participants, many of whom came in the morning, chanted slogans, sang and danced to nationalist songs.

“From a heart of a Thai person, we’ve never had a prime minister who’s so weak,” said Tatchakorn Srisuwan, 47, a tour guide from Surat Thani province. “We don’t want to invade anyone, but we want to say that we are Thai and we want to protect Thailand’s sovereignty.” (Agencies)

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