Prime Minister explains after Hun Sen releases private conversation clip

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra held a press conference on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, confirming that a leaked audio clip was indeed a conversation between herself and Hun Sen, the President of the Cambodian Senate.

Hun Sen took to Facebook to confirm that the conversation on June 15 was a phone call with the Thai Prime Minister, with an interpreter present. He explained that the entire conversation had been recorded for transparency, to prevent the distortion of facts, and for internal use within Cambodia.

Hun Sen revealed that he had shared the recording with approximately 80 senior Cambodian officials, including members of the Senate, political party leaders, foreign affairs agencies, the military, and the border team. He also noted that after the conversation, Thai officials openly criticised him, calling him "unprofessional."

Furthermore, Hun Sen clarified that the public version of the audio only contained a 9-minute excerpt, and if Thailand wished to hear the full 17-minute version, he was ready to release it immediately. He emphasised that transparency was crucial in maintaining understanding between the two countries, particularly regarding the ongoing border dispute.

Paetongtarn also confirmed that the conversation was genuine and that the main purpose of the discussion was informal talks aimed at easing tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border and fostering better understanding between the two nations.The Prime Minister stressed that the conversation was purely diplomatic, aimed at resolving the situation peacefully and preventing escalation. She emphasised that the matter had no connection to domestic politics and reaffirmed that there was no conflict with the Thai military, with the government standing firm on maintaining national sovereignty.

Regarding the leaked audio, Paetongtarn remarked, "The conversation with Hun Sen was a technical attempt to calm the country. It was private and should not have been exposed. However, it is now clear that the intention behind the leak was to gain domestic popularity. From now on, I will no longer engage in private talks due to trust issues. I don’t want the Thai people to be misled or provoked within the country."

The Prime Minister revealed that she had learned from an interpreter that Hun Sen was angered by comments from the Thai Second Army Region Commander, following the release of a video earlier.

She explained that during their conversation, she reassured Hun Sen, acknowledging that since the two countries were at odds, it was understandable for the military commander to make such remarks. Paetongtarn added that in private talks, she often used familiar terms such as "uncle" and "nephew" with Hun Sen, a practice she also follows with colleagues in the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister continued, explaining that during their discussions, Hun Sen suggested opening the border gate, to which Paetongtarn agreed, but she asked if they could do so simultaneously as a gesture of peace. Hun Sen disagreed, and Thailand could not accept this approach.

Paetongtarn sought to make Hun Sen understand that Thailand had yet to take any action and questioned why Thailand should open the gate first. She requested time to consult with the Ministry of Defence and promised to provide a response the following day, after a meeting scheduled at Phitsanulok House.

Paetongtarn explained that, before the meeting at Phitsanulok House had even concluded, Hun Sen posted on Facebook stating that if Thailand did not open the border within 24 hours, Cambodia would close all border gates.

This left her feeling that the situation was not in line with their previous discussion. 

When asked about Thai society's focus on the phrase "the Second Army Region Commander is on the opposite side of her," Paetongtarn explained that her comments were intended to clarify the situation with Hun Sen, who had been upset by the Second Army Region Commander’s earlier remarks.

Regarding potential domestic issues, the Prime Minister emphasised that she did not want the Thai public to be misled. She described Hun Sen's tactic as a tactic aimed at creating the impression that Thailand is in conflict, which was not the case. Her primary goal was to understand Hun Sen’s position and explore ways to peacefully resolve the border dispute, but Hun Sen refused to cooperate.

When asked if future talks would be possible, the Prime Minister paused before responding, stating that she was uncertain. She added that she does not seek to provoke or escalate tensions; otherwise, there would have been no private discussions.

On the relationship between the two families, the Prime Minister said she was unsure but would no longer engage in private talks due to trust issues.

When asked whether she would need to clarify matters with the Second Army Region Commander regarding the leaked conversation, the Prime Minister explained that if she were truly opposed to the military, she wouldn’t have said, "Wait for the military’s response." She would have acted differently.

She clarified that after hearing the clip, she sought to understand Hun Sen’s frustration and immediately worked to de-escalate the situation. However, when the topic of opening the border was raised, the discussion shifted to more sensitive issues, including weapons. 

Paetongtarn also pointed out that Hun Sen's primary intention seemed to be boosting his domestic popularity, rather than focusing on the impact on bilateral relations.

She added that Hun Sen had mentioned his declining approval ratings, which might have influenced his actions. She expressed her hope that Hun Sen would regain popularity and be recognised globally for his leadership. However, she stressed that the purpose of their discussions was to foster peace, not to increase anyone’s popularity.

She also clarified that she was not responsible for releasing the audio clip, and while she could not confirm whether it would boost Hun Sen’s popularity, she maintained that the ultimate goal was to achieve peace.

In response to the partial leak of the audio, the Prime Minister instructed the Minister of Defence to investigate the matter promptly, stressing that if any wrongdoing that could affect national security or diplomatic relations was found, legal actions would be taken.

She also urged the media and the public to exercise caution when reporting on such matters to avoid harming national interests.

(2025/06/18-00:00)