Thailand’s 2025 of turmoil: border war, scam crackdowns and PM musical chairs

It was a year defined by war with Cambodia, but also the unravelling of cyber scams around Thailand’s borders, the rise and demise of political dynasties and another period of musical chairs in the prime minister’s office. There was also national mourning with the death of Queen Mother Sirikit, a towering figure over recent Thai history, and the omnipresence of Lalisa Manobal – or Lisa of South Korean girl group Blackpink – who rapped, acted, gyrated and produced content that seized the internet. This was Thailand’s year: Phones, bombs and yet another PM A leaked phone call in June caught then Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra calling Cambodia’s ex-leader Hun Sen “uncle” and appearing to cast shade on the Thai army in a bungled bid to diffuse a border squabble. Her perceived genuflection to the smaller neighbour was calamitous for her government and appeared to trigger a chain reaction that has defined the year. Soon, Thai bombers were hitting Cambodian targets, while their neighbours fired volleys of rockets over the border in five vicious days of conflict that left dozens dead on both sides. Paetongtarn was then booted from office over the call, as another Thai government fell. Her father, the political heavyweight and tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, also ran out of luck and was sent to jail for a year after an initial reprieve. Waiting in the wings was Anutin Charnvirakul, the sax-playing conservative and scion of a construction empire, who became the third prime minister in just three years. US President Donald Trump claimed credit for sealing a swift end to the fighting between the neighbours. But Trump’s truce fell apart in a dispute that was never really assuaged, despite his urgency to claim it was solved. The conflict spectacularly returned in December. Scores are dead in the latest, more severe, combat round so far, with about 1 million civilians across the border displaced. On Saturday, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an immediate ceasefire and signed a pact to end the use of all types of weapons as well as attacks on civilians and infrastructure. Scam cities It was also the year the wider world finally got its head around the scale of the cyber scam crisis gripping the Mekong region, with billions of dollars of seizures of cryptocurrencies, condos and cars, and US and UK sanctions raining down on some alleged kingpins. Thailand’s alleged political and business links to the money spewing out from scam centres on its borders came firmly under scrutiny. A deputy prime minister pre-emptively resigned after allegations surfaced of a role in money laundering, as a cast of frontline political figures were forced to deny nefarious links to wanted criminals or people accused of laundering the scam billions. As authorities moved to show they were taking the scam gangs down without fear or favour, scores of mainly Chinese scammers were arrested across Thailand as they fled from a crackdown on a major scam base in Myanmar’s Myawaddy area. In November, the reputation of the Thai justice system hit a nadir after the prison commander of Bangkok’s top jail was removed as it emerged that high-rolling Chinese gangsters were living a life of luxury and excess behind bars – including flying in Chinese escorts to meet them inside the jail. Red zone 2025 was a bad year for Thailand’s economy, once dubbed “teflon” for its ability to bounce back from damaging crises – protests, coups and natural disasters – and still post healthy economic numbers. Growth this year was forecast to be 2 per cent, far behind comparable regional rivals, as tariffs, the bad publicity of scams, historic floods and the strongest baht in years stunted tourism. Household debt dipped below 90 per cent but remained stubbornly high, as more middle-class Thais struggled to afford their mortgages and car repayments, while consumption slowed thanks to US tariffs. As the political puzzle pieces began to fall towards a new conservative political settlement – with the Shinawatra dynasty a weakened force, and the pro-democracy People’s Party losing momentum – Thais were left wondering how the jostling for power served their economic well-being. February will bring a fresh election to establish a full government with the chance to forge a clear plan for the economy, but few Thais hold hopes of any signs of a rebound until deep into the year. Death of an icon In October, Thailand mourned the passing of Queen Mother Sirikit, who died aged 93, after having been ever-present across decades of tempestuous Thai modern history. A style icon, she drizzled the Thai royalty with glamour on the international scene during the post-war period, appearing as she did throughout her life alongside her husband King Rama XI, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016. She underpinned the monarchy in the hearts and minds of many older Thais, who admired her commitment to rural uplift schemes. A mourning period of one year was declared for the royal household, as many Thais turned their social media photos black or wore dark clothes as a sign of respect. Her only son succeeded Bhumibol as King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or Rama X. Gay marriage and a star is truly born In January, Thailand broke ground across Asia as a same-sex marriage law came into effect, giving legal protections to LGBTQ couples. A side effect was a surge in demand for gay weddings in Thai destinations as the country cemented its reputation as a safe haven for the LGBTQ community. Meanwhile, actor, rapper and K-pop sensation Lisa was the constant of the global celebrity year. The Thai-born superstar, 28, stole the internet with her breakout solo album Alter Ego launched in February, followed by a role in the HBO hit The White Lotus and then Blackpink’s record-breaking global tour, which has spawned untold clips of her dancing across social media. Keen to plug into her star power, Thai authorities have commissioned Lisa as their tourism ambassador for next year.

Thailand’s 2025 of turmoil: border war, scam crackdowns and PM musical chairs

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}As the country mourns the loss of Queen Mother Sirikit amid political chaos and a sluggish economy, Lisa’s global reign lights up Thai public

Phones, bombs and yet another PM

As the country mourns the loss of Queen Mother Sirikit amid political chaos and a sluggish economy, Lisa’s global reign lights up Thai public