Thai royalists protested last night over the government's botched handling of the border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia.

Footage shows crowds gathered at the Victory Monument in central Bangkok, where they waved the national flag, alongside yellow flags showing their support for the monarchy.

Nationalist Thais are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra
over her involvement in the border dispute with Cambodian dictator Hun Sen.

The public outrage came after Paetongtarn, daughter of former Man City owner Thaksin Shinawatra, was heard in a 17-minute audio recording speaking with Hun Sen about a recent border dispute that has strained Thailand's ties with Cambodia.

She adopted an obsequious tone, calling Hun Sen 'uncle' as she blamed a rogue Thai army general for the rising territorial tensions.

The PM said through a translator present during the call: ‘I don't want you to listen to our opponents like the commander of the Second Army Region because he is a man of the opponents. After hearing what he said, I don't want you to be upset or frustrated because actually, it is not our intention.

‘He wanted to look smart. So, what he said was not beneficial to the nation.'

She also reportedly promised Hun, who lost an eye fighting the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, to 'take care of anything he wants'.

The call was leaked on Facebook by the former Cambodian leader himself, who said he had fallen out with his 'friend of 30 years' Thaksin.

Paetongtarn has since apologised over the conversation, which she defended as a 'negotiation tactic' to appease her Cambodian counterpart.

She said: 'I would like to apologise for the leaked audio of my conversation with a Cambodian leader which has caused public resentment.'

Tensions between the two countries intensified following a deadly clash between their troops in a disputed area of Ubon Ratchathani on May 28.

The skirmish killed a Cambodian sergeant. Thailand said it was committed to resolving the dispute conflict through bilateral means, while Cambodia has vowed to bring the case before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Thailand and Cambodia have a fractious history. The Khmer Empire once stretched across much of Southeast Asia before the ancient leaders moved their base south to Phnom Penh in the 16th century amid water shortages.

The Siam Empire then slowly emerged when Thai tribes used it as a chance to claim much of the deserted land, including priceless sandstone temples and artefacts.

In the 1970s, Thailand supported the Khmer Rouge while they carried out one of the world's worst ever genocides. The country then provided sanctuary for the group's murderous leaders, even allegedly stealing aid funds that were intended to rebuild Cambodia, well into the 1990s.