After call with Cambodia leader made public, Thai PM set to defuse tensions with Army commander

Paetongtarn is set to visit Chong Bok, an area in the north-east Thailand, to mend fences with the Second Army Region Commander Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, local media outlet Bangkok Post reported.

The 38-year-old Prime Minister who assumed office less than a year ago had to issue a public apology on June 19 after Cambodian leader Hun Sen released online her telephone conversation with him.

In the June 15 telephone conversation to discuss the recent border clash between Thailand and Cambodia in which one Cambodian soldier was killed, Paetongtarn had addressed Hun Sen, as "uncle" and referred to Lt Gen Padklang as an adversary.

Lt Gen Padklang is responsible for almost the entire land border with Cambodia with the Thai government has handed him full authority to oversee all checkpoints bordering the neighbouring country.

The army official in an interview with 'The Standard' as cited by The Bangkok Post said that Paetongtarn had called him to apologise over the incident. He further said that he had advised the Thailand PM to "be mindful" and support the national interest with a moral policy when handling the border dispute with Cambodia.

Following the leaked call, the conservative Bhumjaithai party on Wednesday announced its exit from the Pheu Thai-led coaliton in Thailand on Wednesday, accusing her of disrespecting Thailand's military and compromising national sovereignty. This left Paetongtarn's ruling coalition with a very thin majority in the country's 500-seat parliament.

Thailand has formally protested to Cambodia about the leak, calling it a breach of diplomatic protocol that had damaged trust between the two sides.

The motivations for the Cambodian leader to post the entire contents of his call with the Thai PM remains unclear. However, a report in The Nation stated that the 33-year relationship between Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn's father and Cambodian leader Hun Sen has evolved from mutual suspicion into a fraternal bond, only to end abruptly due to political reasons.

Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for almost four decades was succeeded in the 2023 by his son, Hun Manet who is now the country's current prime minister. While, Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand in 2023 after spending 15 years in exile following a conviction on charges of corruption and abuse of power. Paetongtarn assumed the office ofthe PM in the August 2024.

There are long-running border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia, which traces its roots to over a century ago when France, which occupied Cambodia until 1953, first mapped the land border.Cambodia has cited that map to support its territorial claims, while Thailand rejects it as inaccurate. Disputed areas include sites like Mom Bei (Chong Bok) and three ancient temples, including the Preah Vihear Temple, which was awarded to Cambodia in a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Thailand accepted that ruling, but disputes about land surrounding the temple have continued to spark violence.

On May 28 soldiers from both the countries clashed after Lt Gen Boonsin confirmed that troops from Cambodia had moved up to 150 metres into Thai territory, built trenches and refused to retreat after several warnings. He said it was the first time since 2011 that Cambodian security forces had advanced into the area. The soldiers of the two counties exchanged fire in a disputed area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet.

After this tensions between the two counties escalated with Cambodia banned the import of Thai fruits and vegetables and halting Thai dramas on TV and in cinemas. Thailand also imposed tighter border controls and entry restrictions on Cambodian citizens.

On June 12, both Cambodia and Thailand agreed to de-escalate after a high-level meeting.

Earlier this week Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Facebook that Cambodia had officially submitted a a letter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its ongoing border dispute with Thailand. (ANI)