Thailand pushes for diplomacy after ex Cambodia PM s extraordinary attack

BANGKOK - Thailands foreign ministry said on Friday it was taken aback by an unprecedented public attack on the Thai premier and her family by Cambodias influential former leader, but stressed the need for diplomacy to resolve an escalating bilateral dispute.

In a televised address that lasted more than three hours, veteran Cambodian politician Hun Sen rebuked Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for her handling of a festering border row between the neighbours.

Hun Sen, who led Cambodia for nearly four decades until stepping down in 2023, also took aim at Paetongtarns father, divisive billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, until recently his close ally.

It surprised us, and its quite extraordinary in terms of diplomatic norms, foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters.

Thailand has opened a lot of doors, and I insist that these doors remain open even after what happened this morning.

Hun Sen, who is now president of Cambodias senate but still holds enormous clout, accused Paetongtarn of looking down at him and his son, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

On Thaksin, who faces an impending court case over the legitimacy of a hospital stay that allowed him to skip prison time, Hun Sen said the former Thai leader faked his illness.

Thaksin was not sick, he said. He pretended to be sick.

Paetongtarn, 38, has come under enormous domestic pressure following the leak of the audio of June 15 phone call between her and Hun Sen, in which she appeared overtly deferential to him and also criticised a Thai military commander.

That call came after an escalation in tensions along a disputed border between the Southeast Asian nations, where a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief exchange of gunfire with Thai forces in late May.

Despite Hun Sens public vilification, Thailand is working to open