Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra apologised on Thursday for a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, which triggered widespread backlash and pushed her government into crisis.

The leaked call sparked new political unrest. Paetongtarn faced growing calls to resign and street protests. She also had to deal with the exit of the second-largest party in her coalition. Her main coalition partner quit and demanded her resignation or an election. This pushed the country into another round of political instability. Thailand was also trying to revive its weak economy and avoid trade tariffs from the United States.

The conservative Bhumjaithai party pulled out on Wednesday. It said Paetongtarn's actions in the leaked call hurt the country and disrespected the military.

On Thursday, as pressure grew, Paetongtarn held a news conference. She appeared with military leaders and senior members of her Pheu Thai party. “I would like to apologise for the leaked audio of my conversation with a Cambodian leader which has caused public resentment,” Paetongtarn told reporters.

Paetongtarn, 38, is the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire and one of Thailand’s most influential and controversial politicians. In the leaked call, she discussed a border issue with Hun Sen, who still holds wide influence in Cambodia, though he stepped down from office in 2023.

In the conversation, she called Hun Sen “uncle” and referred to the army commander in Thailand’s northeast as her opponent. This remark led to intense criticism on social media.

On Thursday, the Thai foreign ministry summoned the Cambodian ambassador. They gave him a letter of protest over the leaked call. The loss of Bhumjaithai’s 69 lawmakers left Paetongtarn with barely enough support to hold a majority in parliament. A snap election now appears likely—only two years after the last election in May 2023.

Two other coalition parties—the United Thai Nation and the Democrat Party—planned to hold meetings on Thursday to assess the situation.

Paetongtarn hoped her apology and public show of unity with the military would help convince them to stay. If either party leaves, her government would likely fall and trigger either new elections or an attempt by other parties to form a new coalition.

The Thai military released a statement. Army chief General Pana Claewplodtook said he remained committed to democratic principles and protecting national sovereignty. “The Chief of Army emphasised that the paramount imperative is for ‘Thai people to stand united’ in collectively defending national sovereignty,” the statement said.

Thailand’s armed forces have long played a strong role in its politics. Politicians usually avoid challenging them directly. Since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, Thailand has seen twelve coups. The current crisis has already sparked talk of another one. If that happens, Paetongtarn would be the third person in her family removed from office by the military, following her father Thaksin and her aunt Yingluck.

The main opposition party, the People’s Party, won the most seats in the 2023 election. But conservative senators blocked it from forming a government. On Thursday, it urged Paetongtarn to call an election.

“What happened yesterday was a leadership crisis that destroyed people’s trust,” said party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut in a statement.

The Palang Pracharath party, which ruled until 2023, said the leaked call showed that Paetongtarn was weak and inexperienced. It said she could not handle the country’s security.

On Thursday, hundreds of anti-government protesters gathered outside Government House. Some of them had once belonged to the royalist, anti-Thaksin “Yellow Shirt” movement from the late 2000s. They called for Paetongtarn to step down.

Paetongtarn became prime minister in August 2024. She led an uneasy coalition between her Pheu Thai party and conservative, pro-military parties that had fought against her father for two decades.

Tensions in the coalition rose last week. Pheu Thai tried to take the interior minister post from Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul. The fight between Thailand’s conservative royalist establishment and Thaksin’s political base has shaped the country’s recent political history.

Thaksin, 75, once owned Manchester City football club. He still has strong support among rural voters, whose lives improved under his populist policies in the early 2000s. But powerful elites in Thailand have long opposed him. They view his rule as corrupt, authoritarian, and destabilising.