The second largest party in Thailand’s ruling coalition withdrew from the government on Wednesday, citing a leaked phone call between the country’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (pictured in a file photo) and Hun Sen, the influential former premier of Cambodia, with which Thailand is involved in an escalating border dispute.
Ms Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party is a leading grouping within the coalition government. The Bhumjaithai Party’s decision to withdraw from the government left Ms Shinawatra’s coalition with a slimmer majority in parliament.
The Bhumjaithai Party, which holds 69 seats in the House of Representatives, said in a statement that its eight ministers had submitted their resignations, effective June 19.
The withdrawal by the Bhumjaithai Party adds to the uncertainty about several of the government policies, including a bill to legalise casinos in Thailand, which is facing growing opposition.
Earlier this week, a 53,900-signature petition was submitted to Thailand’s Election Commission, calling on the country’s government to hold a national referendum on the legalisation of casinos.
Thailand’s government has defended its plan for the country to host a number of casino resorts, pledging strict regulations and transparency.
Earlier this year, the leaders of Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai had stated their alliance remained strong, despite a representative from the Bhumjaithai Party speaking against the government’s casino legalisation bill.
The lower house of the National Assembly was set to examine the bill in July, when parliament reconvenes, the Bangkok Post recently reported.
In a Wednesday statement, the Bhumjaithai Party said the phone call between Ms Shinawatra and Hun Sen had impacted Thailand’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests, and the Thai military.
In the leaked recording of the call, as reported by a number of media outlets, the Thai Prime Minister was heard saying she was facing domestic pressure and urged Hun Sen not to listen to “the other side” in Thailand, which she said included an outspoken Thai general who oversees the army in the border area,
“Bhumjaithia has called on Prime Minister Paetongtarn to show responsibility for making the country lose its integrity, honour, to the people and the army,” the party said.
Multiple media outlets had reported that troops from Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire on May 28 close to Chong Bok, which is in Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province, and near where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. One Cambodian soldier was reportedly killed.
Starting from June 8, measures including reduced border crossing hours and a ban on Thai nationals crossing the border for non-essential travel have been imposed by Thailand.
Border-casino operator Donaco International Ltd said this week that the restrictions on Thais travelling to Cambodia would likely hurt the firm’s results in June. The company runs the DNA Star Vegas gaming resort in Poipet, Cambodia.
