Thai premier won't quit to save government, ruling party says
Speculation that Paetongtarn would accept proposals from coalition parties to quit or dissolve parliament after the passage of the budget bill 'are completely untrue,' Sorawong Thienthong, secretary-general of Pheu Thai Party, said in a post on Facebook.
'The Prime Minister has firmly affirmed to us that she will continue to fully carry out her duties in addressing the crises the country is currently facing,' Sorawong said.
Paetongtarn is fighting to save her less than one-year-old government after the exit of the second-largest party in her ruling alliance this week, leaving the bloc with a razor-thin majority in parliament. Her coalition now holds about 255 seats in the 495-member body and cannot afford more defections.
Local media reported the ultra-conservative United Thai Nation Party, the second-largest in the coalition with 36 seats, threatened to leave the government unless Paetongtarn steps down to make way for a new prime ministerial vote.
Paetongtarn has tried to ease public anger over her leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen by apologizing and calling for national unity, but her rivals have threatened to escalate street protests to press for her removal. On Friday, the prime minister also visited troops at a border post to show support for soldiers involved in a border standoff with Cambodia.
Paetongtarn's administration is focused on resolving the Thai–Cambodian border issue, for which it's implementing strong countermeasures on both diplomatic and security fronts, and seriously pushing negotiations to resolve the US tariff threats, said Sorawong, who is also the minister for Tourism and Sports. –BLOOMBERG
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
39 minutes ago
- Daily Express
Cambodia asks Thailand to release detained soldiers as truce holds
Published on: Thursday, July 31, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 31, 2025 By: Reuters Text Size: Thailand and Cambodia have wrangled over undemarcated points along their 817km land border for decades. (AFP pic) PHNOM PENH: Cambodia accused Thailand today of detaining 20 of its soldiers and killing another in post-ceasefire incidents, as a fragile peace held for a third day along their disputed border. Five days of intense clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours that began last week killed at least 43 people, many of them civilians, and displaced more than 300,000, until a truce brokered in Malaysia on Monday halted the fighting. Thailand has since accused Cambodian troops of violating the ceasefire multiple times, a charge denied by authorities in Phnom Penh, who instead allege that the Thai military has wrongfully detained a number of its soldiers. 'We appeal to the Thai side to promptly return all 20 of our forces, including other forces if any are under Thai control,' Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said today. In a statement, senior Cambodian defence official lieutenant general Rath Dararoth said one Cambodian soldier had died in Thai custody since the ceasefire and his body had been returned. He did not provide further details. Thailand currently has custody of 20 Cambodian soldiers who had surrendered, including two who are under medical treatment, Thai rear admiral Surasant Kongsiri told reporters. 'We are investigating them to verify the facts. After this is finished, they will be released,' Thailand's acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai said, stressing the Thai military had not violated the ceasefire agreement. As per talks between military commanders held after Monday's truce announcement, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to facilitate the return of wounded soldiers and bodies of those deceased, besides refraining from reinforcing troops along the border. Cambodia took military attaches and diplomats to a border checkpoint yesterday to verify the ceasefire as both sides exchanged accusations of violating the truce. For decades, Thailand and Cambodia have wrangled over undemarcated points along their 817km land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. The recent truce followed a push by Malaysia and calls by US President Donald Trump's phone calls to leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, warning them that trade deals would not be concluded if the fighting continued. Both countries face a tariff of 36% on goods sent to the US, their biggest export market. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, said early today that trade deals had been made with both countries ahead of the Aug 1 tariff deadline. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Cambodia asks Thailand to release detained soldiers as truce holds
Injured soldiers queue to have their wounds cleaned at a hospital, after the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire on Monday effective midnight, in a bid to bring an end to their deadliest conflict in more than a decade, while Thailand's military accuses Cambodia of second ceasefire violation and waits for Cambodia's invitation for bilateral talks on August 4, in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, July 30, 2025. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu (Reuters) -Cambodia accused Thailand on Thursday of detaining 20 of its soldiers and killing another in post-ceasefire incidents, as a fragile peace held for a third day along their disputed border. Five days of intense clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours that began last week killed at least 43 people, many of them civilians, and displaced more than 300,000, until a truce brokered in Malaysia on Monday halted the fighting. Thailand has since accused Cambodian troops of violating the ceasefire multiple times, a charge denied by authorities in Phnom Penh, who instead allege that the Thai military has wrongfully detained a number of its soldiers. "We appeal to the Thai side to promptly return all 20 of our forces, including other forces if any are under Thai control," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Thursday. In a statement, senior Cambodian defence official Lieutenant General Rath Dararoth said one Cambodian soldier had died in Thai custody since the ceasefire and his body had been returned. He did not provide further details. Thailand currently hascustody of 20 Cambodian soldiers who had surrendered, including two who are under medical treatment, Thai Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri told reporters. "We are investigating them to verify the facts. After this is finished, they will be released," Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said, stressing the Thai military had not violated the ceasefire agreement. As per talks between military commanders held after Monday's truce announcement, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to facilitate the return of wounded soldiers and bodies of those deceased, besides refraining from reinforcing troops along the border. Cambodia took military attaches and diplomats to a border checkpoint on Wednesday to verify the ceasefire as both sides exchanged accusations of violating the truce. For decades, Thailand and Cambodia have wrangled over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. The recent truce followed a push by Malaysia and calls by U.S. President Donald Trump's phone calls to leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, warning them that trade deals would not be concluded if the fighting continued. Both countries face a tariff of 36% on goods sent to the U.S., their biggest export market. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, said early on Thursday that trade deals had been made with both countries ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Poppy McPherson, Chayut Setboonsarng and Panu Wongcha-um, Editing by Devjyot Ghoshal and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Thai Defence Ministry halts military aid to Cambodia, sends military students home after border clashes
Commanders of the Royal Thai Army (left) and Royal Cambodian Army (right) meeting at the Thai-Cambodia border near the Chong Chom border crossing between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province after the announcement of the ceasefire on July 29, 2025. - AFP BANGKOK: Deputy Defence Minister Nattapol Nakpanit said on Thursday (July 31) that he had ordered the cessation of all military aid to Cambodia and the repatriation of its students at the National Defence College of Thailand (NDC). Nattapol, who is also acting Defence Minister, stated that he ordered the halt of all military assistance to Cambodia and military cooperation after Cambodia began attacking Thai border areas, which led to border clashes. Following the border fighting, Nattapol confirmed that he ordered the suspension of the exchange of military personnel training. 'All students from Cambodia who were studying at the NDC for the 2024 academic year have been sent home following the fighting, and they will not return,' Nattapol said. 'We had to cancel the quota for Cambodian students at the NDC.' He added that all agencies guarding border crossings must step up screening of foreigners entering and leaving Thailand, and all agencies must also enhance security against potential cyberattacks. In a related development, Wuttisak Lapcharoensap, acting rector of Ramkhamhaeng University, announced that he was preparing to ask the Ramkhamhaeng University Council to revoke the honorary doctorate degree conferred to former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Wuttisak said he would raise the proposal during the council's meeting on Aug 18. The university conferred the degree to Hun Sen in 2001. 'The university cannot ignore the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, which is linked to Hun Sen,' Wuttisak said, adding that the council would decide whether to revoke the degree. - The Nation/ANN
