Thai PM under fire as demonstrators demand resignation

Leaders of the anti-government protest at the Victory Monument have demanded that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra step down over the leaked recording, and that her coalition partners withdraw from the government.

Speaking on stage to cheering crowds, the leaders read a prepared statement calling on all citizens to protect the sovereignty of Thailand.

The leaders took turns speaking on stage from around 10 am, criticizing the Thai premier for kowtowing to Cambodia on several occasions.

They claimed their allegations were confirmed after a conversation between Paetongtarn and Cambodian leader Hun Sen was leaked to the public.

They accused the Thai PM of being too soft and eager to please Hun Sen.

In the recording, she was allegedly heard telling him to “ask for whatever you need, and I will comply.”

They also accused Paetongtarn of being a traitor, based on her statement to Hun Sen that a Thai military commander was “just an opponent who says anything to look cool.”

Around 5pm, heavy rain hit the protest site. Many protesters sought shelter, but many others braved the downpour with raincoats and umbrellas.

On stage, speakers continued to criticize Paetongtarn and her government, while singers performed between speeches.

As of 6 pm, after the downpours receded, more people joined the anti-government protest at Victory Monument, packing the roads surrounding the venue.

The site was so crowded that protesters had to watch the stage from pedestrian flyovers.

On the ground, many were seen shopping for food and items like T-shirts printed with a map of Thailand.