Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra speaks to troops during a visit to the Royal Thai Army's Morakot Operations Base in Ubon Ratchathani province on Jun 20, 2025.
BANGKOK: Thailand's government said on Monday (Jun 23) it would push ahead with a Cabinet reshuffle this week, facing down a backlash against its handling of a border row with Cambodia that has left Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra hanging on to power by a thread.
Tensions with Thailand and Cambodia remain elevated, with the Southeast Asian neighbours announcing tit-for-tat measures that are stoking nationalist fervour on both sides and stymying bilateral trade, including a suspension by Phnom Penh of all Thai fuel and gas imports that came into effect on Monday.
In Bangkok, days after the parliamentary majority of the ruling coalition led by Paetongtarn's Pheu Thai party was threatened by the exit of a major alliance member, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai sought to project unity.
"I'm 100 per cent confident that we will move ahead strongly after the Cabinet reshuffle is completed this week," he told reporters.
"You will see a new way of working that's different from before."
The new Cabinet line-up will be finalised by Friday but sources said changes are expected in key positions including the defence ministry as the border row with Cambodia rumbles on.
Paetongtarn, a 38-year-old political novice and daughter of divisive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has come under fire after a phone call between her and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen to diffuse a long-festering border dispute became public last Wednesday.
In the audio, which was released in full by Hun Sen after the initial leak of a clip, the Thai premier appears to grovel before the Cambodian politician and also denigrates a senior Thai military commander in charge of the disputed border area.
Hours after the audio became public, the second-largest coalition member, the Bhumjaithai Party, quit the government, putting its parliamentary majority and Paetongtarn's premiership under threat.
Pheu Thai has managed to hold the remainder of its coalition together, with the Cabinet reshuffle meant to redistribute ministerial positions previously held by Bhumjaithai.
The coalition's stability will be tested in parliament, which reconvenes next week, and on the streets as anti-government groups plan a major protest to call for the prime minister's resignation, which will start on Saturday.
Adding to the pressure, Paetongtarn also faces scrutiny from the judiciary after a group of senators seeking her removal petitioned the Constitutional Court and an anti-graft body to investigate her conduct over the leaked phone call.
"The government cannot take anything for granted," said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science professor at Ubon Ratchathani University.
"There's more instability ahead."
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-prime-minister-paetongtarn-shinawatra-cabinet-reshuffle-cambodia-border-tension-5197871
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