"Stop the questions!"... Annoyed Thai Prime Minister Sprays Hand Sanitizer on Reporters

Cabinet Reshuffle Question Met with "Mind Your Own Business" Irritation
Prayut Premier Known for Sudden Actions Toward Reporters

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (67) of Thailand is spraying hand sanitizer towards reporters. Photo by YouTube video capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (67) has sparked controversy by unexpectedly spraying hand sanitizer at reporters during a press conference.

According to foreign media including Yahoo News on the 10th, Prime Minister Prayut acted this way after a cabinet meeting at the government complex the previous day, when he faced a barrage of questions from reporters.

He was asked about a cabinet reshuffle following a recent court ruling that sentenced three ministers and deputy ministers to heavy prison terms on the 24th for rebellion related to the so-called 'Bangkok Shutdown' protests against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government in 2013-2014, which led to their downfall.

In response to the intense questioning about the cabinet reshuffle, he irritably said, "I don't know. Stop asking questions. Mind your own business."

Then, Prime Minister Prayut took a small bottle of hand sanitizer from the podium, walked toward the front row of reporters, covered his mouth and nose with a mask, and began spraying the sanitizer wildly toward the reporters.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (67) is spraying hand sanitizer toward reporters. Photo by YouTube video capture.

The reporters shielded their faces but still filmed the prime minister with their mobile phones.

In the released video, the prime minister, with a face full of irritation, sprayed sanitizer as he exited. When reporters stood up from their desks and followed him in response to his unexpected behavior, he sprayed sanitizer at them again.

Some media mocked this by captioning it as a "creative way to avoid reporters' questions?"

Prayut, who seized power through a military coup in 2014, is known for unpredictable behavior toward reporters and broadcast cameras.

In the past, he has suddenly lost his temper during press conferences or been reported in the media for stroking the head and pulling the ear of a reporter sitting in front of him.

Local media also reported that Prayut once threw a banana peel at a cameraman who shouted for him to look at the camera.