The Leaked Call Shaking Thai Politics: Translated

Secret audio of Thai PM pleading with Hun Sen over border dispute sparks outrage and calls for resignation.

On June 17, 2025, a condensed audio snippet was posted by the Cambodian media of what appeared to be a private phone conversation between Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Samdech Hun Sen, the President of Cambodia’s Senate. The initial leaked phone call was approximately 9 minutes, with the Thai government later officially recognizing the authenticity of the audio snippet. The two countries have been in an uncomfortable situation along their shared border, especially after a recent military escalation in the Chong Bok region, where there was one Thai casualty as a result of the clash. During the call, Paetongtarn was heard pleading and personally addressing Hun Sen as “uncle” while Hun Sen, on the other hand, was heard mentioning border de-escalation.

This leaked audio snippet has sent shockwaves across the region, where in Thailand, the call was perceived to be treasonous, and the general public has called on the prime minister to resign or dissolve the parliament.

Below is a raw translation of the conversation based on a transcript published by The Standard. This translation neither accounts for nor adjusts for English grammar. Through an independent translator, the full length of the call was 17 minutes and 9 seconds.

PM Paetongtarn: Please ask him, how is he doing, how is his health?

Samdech Hun Sen: All is well.

PM Paetongtarn: Today, I want to discuss about our border dispute. I understand that both Mr. Hun Sen and I myself want both of our countries to be at peace. I don’t want uncle (the PM was heard addressing Mr. Hun Sen as ‘uncle’ in English during the call) to listen to those who are in the opposite party from us. This is because when you listen to those people from the opposite side like the Commander of the 2nd Army Area (the commander in charge when the conflict broke out in May 2025), since they are from the opposite side, whatever they said may disturb you or may even made you angry when you listen to them. (It is unclear what the PM meant when addressing the Commander as being from the ‘opposite side’)

In truth, this is none of my intention. Right now, he (the Commander) just wants to look cool so he had said whatever it is that does not reflects what is in the best interest between our two countries. Honestly, what I want is the peace and happiness, as it were before this conflict happened. It would be appreciated if Mr. Hun Sen could show empathy for this niece because right now, the Thai people has been complaining that I should go and be Cambodia’s Prime Minister instead (the PM was heard laughing). Please, whatever it is that you need, name them I will settle them out for you.

Samdech Hun Sen: First of all, I want the borders reopened, just like before.

PM Paetongtarn: Okay, same here.

Samdech Hun Sen: Honestly, about the border closure, Thailand initiated it first. Therefore, if Thailand will withdraw its closure orders, Cambodia will do so too. Open as usual. This is because we are already disappointed with the conflict at Chong Bok. We have tried to accommodate what the Thai side wanted, we’ve said okay, and we have acted so accordingly. But please, we wish for the situation to return to normal. We have withdrawn, we have adjusted our troops, but Thailand still pulls up the border closure to pressure us.

With that being said, if Madame PM could withdraw orders regarding the border closure, Cambodia will then pull back on Thai agricultural product bans. Everything else, we will withdraw too.

PM Paetongtarn: You see, right now, the administration has been subjected to immense amount of attacks and criticisms. This is because when both you and Mr. Hun Manet (Cambodia’s Prime Minister) have mentioned the electricity and waterworks cut-out from Thailand, in truth, those are only words from foreign press’ reports on what could happen next for Thailand, like the possible retaliatory actions we may take, it doesn’t mean that we will actually implement them. Honestly, we could make it okay for both sides. Like we may have to altogether echoes out that we have reached an agreement. My administration have already met and decided that we can open everything back up to normal. It could be between me and Mr. Hun Manet or something along the lines of that, make it seems like we have already had a joint discussion and that both sides wants situations to become normal again, like this.

Translator (asking the PM): So PM Ing (Paetongtarn’s nickname) wants Cambodia’s Prime Minister to post on social media, right?

PM Paetongtarn: Yes, it could be a social media post or anything, I am accepting suggestions from Mr. Hun Sen too, like we need a join agreement. Because right now, I am taking in a lot of criticisms.

Samdech Hun Sen: Honestly, I am the one who is more concerned about the stability, more than mister prime minister himself. But it is these soldiers that have shut down the border crossing first, they initiated first, pressured us first, therefore you must make sure that you are ready to talk with the army about reopening the borders.

PM Paetongtarn: I am ready to do that.

Translator: All acknowledged from the Cambodian side, we will follow suit.

PM Paetongtarn: Of course, we will open [the borders] for you. But as I said, it must be a mutual agreement that we both open our borders. If that’s not the case, if I will say okay, I give in everything, I will be the one who pays the price because right now [the criticisms] have reached stuff that aren’t related to the border crossings.

Samdech Hun Sen: Well, Madame PM does not want to have a joint discussion because it was the soldiers that have began this whole ordeal in the first place. They have tricked us, told us to adjust our troops, once we did adjust our troops at Chong Bok, things must turn to normal. We have had discussions about this. This means that if we adjust this there, everything else must be settled too. Settled with soldiers, everything settled and done. This is like you are smacking me in my face, I would like for Madame PM to please reconsider regarding this matter as well.

Translator (adding): This is because Mr. Hun Sen is a true gentleman; he holds true to his words. When he said that Thailand was the one to initiated first and tricked us first, us on the Cambodian side has taken a lot of hits too. We also have the general public that has hit us hard too. Therefore, if Thailand initiate all of [de-escalation initiatives], within 5 hours, everything will turn to normal. My dear niece, uncle can tell you that without the promise on troops adjustment, if everything return to normal on our end, but the Thai soldiers aren’t reopening the borders, we will move forward with the agricultural ban to pressure those soldiers.

Samdech Hun Sen: As I said to you before, when we adjusted our troops at Chong Bok, we thought we could end this with mutual agreement but then the Thai soldiers closed the borders. With that being said, it wouldn’t look good for us to go and have more discussion with you, it looks extremely inappropriate on our end. The Thai soldiers must de-escalate first and then within 5 hours, we will follow suit and everything will return to normal. I am a gentleman.

PM Paetongtarn: I will talk with the Ministry of Defence again. But honestly, when I was talking to the translator, I want to convey that whatever it is that Mr. Hun Sen wants, please let me know. We can both agree as sometimes the post you made on Facebook are … (the silence here can be assumed that the mentioned Facebook posts are not well-intentioned)

Right now, the administration is at its weakest, ever since I took to the office, it is this matter on Cambodia which I myself chose to not respond to any allegations posed to me yet. This is because I both love and respect Mr. Hun Sen and therefore if there is anything you want, please tell me directly. Just lift up the phone and tell me. Whatever it is that isn’t news will not become news, what you saw leaked was the product of the press, when you haven’t talk with me one-on-one, when we talk as a group, these things can leak. If you talk to me personally one-on-one, there’s no way this could leak anyways.

Now, since I don’t want things like this to happen, I will bring this matter to the Defence Ministry. If they’ll say that the Thai soldiers closed the borders first or something along the lines of that, I will talk with them on whatever it is that will work with you. I will forward my message through our translator to inform you about the final matter. You see, the public doesn’t wished well on us. It seems as if we are having personal fights right now. Leaders of the new generation shouldn’t host any wars, if people of the new generation have wars, it will be bad for both sides, along with Mr. Hun Manet, he is the leader of the new generation too, no?

Samdech Hun Sen: Mr. Prime Minister have said that in his social media posts, he have only been informing the public about what is happening. It does not affect Thailand much. But not, it is fine, if Madame PM can settle the border reopening, we agree, we have nothing against each other anymore. The end.

PM Paetongtarn: Of course, I will go and talk with the Defence Ministry and ask for their confirmation because I will have to talk with our army first. But of course, I will order it right away. I think we can wait until I am 100% sure and then will report back to you. I don’t want it to not be 100% sure and inform you first. Really, we can manage this.

Translator (asking to the PM): Does Madame PM have anything else to ask?

PM Paetongtarn: Nope, nothing else. Do you think we have any other matter at hand? No? Thank you, Mr. Hun Sen.

Samdech Hun Sen: Let me confirm again that Madame PM, we do not negotiate with you about the borders because Thailand initiated first, and then tricked us to adjust our troops, tricked us that if we adjust our troops, everything will return to normal. Then the Thai soldiers closed the borders therefore Thai soldiers must cancel border closure. Once they did, Cambodia will follow suit, as usual. Everything will then turn to normal. Done.

PM Paetongtarn: Okay, of course. I will update you more once I got more updates.

Translator (adding): Mr. Hun Sen is waiting for you, Madame PM, whenever you have settled the matter.

PM Paetongtarn: Got it. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Hun Sen.

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