BANGKOK, Jun. 19 (The Nation) – The leader of the People’s Party demands the dissolution of parliament and calls for a reset of the government after the leaked audio of Paetongtarn and Hun Sen causes a political crisis.

On June 19, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, an MP and leader of the People’s Party, held a press conference at Parliament to make several demands of the Prime Minister. He called on Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to take political responsibility and dissolve the parliament, returning power to the people.

He stated that the situation, following the leaked audio clip of a conversation between Prime Minister Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate and former Prime Minister, has led to a breakdown in public confidence. The leaked clip, combined with Bhumjaithai Party’s withdrawal from the government, has heightened concerns.

“Yesterday’s events were the final straw for Paetongtarn as Prime Minister, completely destroying public trust in her ability to govern the country,” he said.

Natthaphong explained that the initial formation of the government under Pheu Thai involved broken promises and cross-party deals that failed to address major issues. He said the government has been unable to deliver on promises, including constitutional reforms, military reform, and economic stability. The two years of governance by Pheu Thai have not brought the expected results.

“The situation yesterday was another crisis for the leader,” said Natthaphong “Paetongtarn’s credibility has been entirely undermined. Several demands were raised yesterday, including: 1) A call for the Prime Minister to dissolve parliament, 2) A call for her resignation, and 3) A call for non-systemic measures like a coup.”

Regarding the current political climate, Natthaphong expressed that while the public sentiment may be upset, the focus should be on finding a legitimate government. He firmly stated that a solution should not involve a coup or changing the Prime Minister through unconstitutional means.

“The only way forward is a legitimate government formed through democratic mechanisms. We must not allow the anger in society to lead to a coup. We must focus on creating a fair government that serves the people,” he said.

Natthaphong called on the remaining coalition parties, which have not yet withdrawn from the government, to join in agreeing to dissolve the parliament. He urged them to recognise that changing the Prime Minister or using non-systemic power is not the solution, and instead, a fair government should be established to address the country’s issues.

“It’s time for the government to give power back to the people through fresh elections. We call on all parties involved to withdraw from the government if they agree that non-systemic power is not the answer. We must create a legitimate government,” said the opposition leader.

When asked if the People’s Party would be ready for elections if the parliament were dissolved, Natthaphong replied: “If the parliament is dissolved, we are ready for elections immediately. Our party structure is fully prepared. We have been preparing policies for many years, and we have numerous sets of laws ready. I am confident that if we gain the trust of the people, in the first parliamentary session, we will push forward all the proposed laws.”

He continued: “As I have already said, people from all groups are asking what mechanisms should be used to remove the Prime Minister. Ask yourselves what you want. I believe everyone wants a government that can solve the country’s problems, a legitimate government that can create new consensus and new hope for the people. A coup mechanism is not the solution. It is not a democratic mechanism. Looking at the political context, the MPs, and the Prime Ministerial candidates, you may see that many parts require questioning. The solution is to dissolve the parliament and allow every party to propose policies for the people to use their rights and vote for a new choice.”

When asked what solution the government might choose, Natthaphong said: “I think there are many possible solutions. We must wait for discussions with other parties, but I cannot predict or decide for them. I would like to send the same request to all political parties. The question I raised earlier is: what the people want is for the government to find a way out for the country and to govern according to their election promises. If political parties believe in the sovereignty of the people, the only solution is to dissolve the parliament.”

Regarding whether dissolving the parliament would benefit Cambodia, as it would mean no government and worsening border issues, Natthaphong responded:

“I must say that under the current constitution, a caretaker government still has limited executive powers, but it cannot commit to budgets. Even if the parliament is dissolved, the caretaker government can still use the current bureaucratic system to resolve international issues. Dissolving the parliament does not create a vacuum, but the leadership vacuum is in the hands of the Prime Minister.”

When asked if this issue would be submitted to independent organisations for an investigation into the Prime Minister, Natthaphong said: “I am aware that someone will submit a petition, but as for my stance and the stance of the People’s Party, we are clear. We do not want to use any mechanism that the opposition has previously used in a destructive manner. I think whoever wishes to submit a petition should follow the proper process. As for the People’s Party, our only request is for the Prime Minister to use his powers to dissolve the parliament.”

When asked if he is concerned that a parliamentary dissolution could repeat the situation of 2014, when the election was voided and power was seized, Natthaphong said the context is different.

“The stance of the People’s Party is that we will certainly not oppose elections. When the parliament is dissolved, we will not be seen as obstructing the election process. On the contrary, we will focus on moving towards the election, campaigning vigorously, presenting policies, and forming a new, more legitimate government,” he said.

Regarding the concern that a dissolution might cause the 2026 Budget Bill to collapse, Natthaphong said there may be some impact, but according to the constitution, if the parliament fails to pass the Budget Bill for this year, the previous year’s bill can be used temporarily. Overall, the 2026 and 2025 budgets are very similar. He didn’t say that dissolving the parliament would have no impact—it certainly would affect the Budget Bill.

“However, for now, the government can use the 2025 budget temporarily. Looking at it from another angle, if a new, more legitimate government is formed after the dissolution and the election, we may be able to propose a new 2026 budget that addresses the country’s problems more effectively. Although it may be delayed, the new government can take the opportunity to address these issues,” he said.

When asked about the Prime Minister’s explanation that the discussion with Hun Sen was a diplomatic technique, Natthaphong said he understands that diplomacy involves both official and informal methods. He doesn’t oppose the use of any channels to create benefits or solutions for the country. However, he is concerned about the content of the leaked audio, which shows the Prime Minister using personal relations, such as stating that the government is in opposition to the military, even though she had previously stated that she was overseeing the military.

“This kind of communication, based on personal relationships, is more problematic. For example, Thaksin. What is needed now is to use the bilateral platform between the two countries for negotiations. What we want to hear most is the Prime Minister urging the use of this bilateral forum, but we have not heard that kind of communication,” said Natthaphong.

Regarding the military’s role during a national crisis or border conflict, the leader of People’s Party stated:

“The military’s duty is to protect the country, and any political communication or actions that affect the country should be the responsibility of the civilian government. The military must follow the orders of the civilian government. If demands are made to the military, I do not think the military as a whole will act in this way, but certain factions, if they communicate using the current momentum, may lead to something else. We do not want that to happen. We do not want military representatives to communicate in that way.”

When asked about the scenario if the Prime Minister does not resign or dissolve the parliament, Natthaphong said: “We need to wait and see what happens in today’s meeting with the coalition parties. If Pheu Thai can maintain the majority, what will happen is that public trust will continue to decline. The People’s Party is ready to use all available mechanisms in the parliament to pressure the Prime Minister to dissolve the parliament as soon as possible.”

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