BANGKOK — Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra suggested today that Thailand’s ongoing border clashes with Cambodia may have originated from Phnom Penh’s displeasure over being excluded from a regional anti-scam initiative, revealing new diplomatic tensions behind the military confrontation.

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Speaking in her capacity as Culture Minister, Paetongtarn disclosed that Cambodia had expressed offense after Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar formed a trilateral agreement to combat cross-border call scam operations without including Phnom Penh. “When we later invited Cambodia to join, they rejected the offer,” she said, characterizing the snub as a potential catalyst for the current violence. The prime minister’s remarks mark the first official Thai acknowledgment of non-territorial factors inflaming tensions.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said today she believes Thailand’s ongoing conflicts with Cambodia stemmed from her government’s crackdowns on call scam centers.

She said Cambodia was offended by a trilateral agreement Thailand recently made with Laos and Myanmar to… pic.twitter.com/aSe37lmMZ3

— Thai PBS World (@ThaiPBSWorld) July 26, 2025

The comments underscore the deterioration of the Shinawatra family’s once-close relationship with Cambodia’s ruling Hun family. Paetongtarn revealed the rift deepened during a June phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, when she criticized a Thai army commander’s hardline stance on border issues—a conversation she implied contributed to the current breakdown in relations. The diplomatic freeze contrasts sharply with the era of her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, whose government enjoyed warm ties with Phnom Penh.

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Though currently suspended from her premiership duties, Paetongtarn confirmed she continues tracking border developments, where clashes have now killed at least 33 people. Her analysis suggests the conflict may be as much about modern transnational crime networks as ancient territorial disputes, with Cambodia’s alleged resentment over the scam center crackdown—a multi-billion dollar industry in the region—adding a volatile new dimension to the crisis.

-Thailand News (TN)