Clip scandal grows by day

The political consequences have been swift for Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra who now faces the most serious crisis of her tenure.

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A leaked audio recording of her phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen has sparked public outrage, raising profound questions about her leadership, diplomatic judgment and commitment to the national interest.

The Bhumjaithai Party has withdrawn from the coalition, and the United Thai Nation Party has issued an ultimatum calling for her resignation.

Yet some coalition partners continue to prop up the government, claiming the need to preserve stability. In doing so, they have aligned themselves with a prime minister who has lost the confidence of the public.

Support for the government under the guise of political continuity is no longer a neutral act. It is a conscious choice to side with power over principle. Voters can see who is standing with a leader whose legitimacy is crumbling, and they will remember.

Public trust in the prime minister has been corroded. The longer PM Paetongtarn stays, the more the political damage will increase.