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Irked Thai PM sprays reporters with sanitisers to evade tricky questionsAfter fielding a slew of questions from journalists at his weekly news conference in Bangkok, the famously mercurial Prayuth Chan-ocha sprayed disinfectant
AP
Last Updated IST
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sprays hand sanitizer at front row journalists to avert answering questions on the latest Cabinet reshuffle in Bangkok. Credit: Reuters Photo
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha sprays hand sanitizer at front row journalists to avert answering questions on the latest Cabinet reshuffle in Bangkok. Credit: Reuters Photo

Politicians are often accused of sanitizing the news. On Tuesday, Thailand's prime minister sanitized members of the press.

After fielding a slew of questions from journalists at his weekly news conference in Bangkok, the famously mercurial Prayuth Chan-ocha sprayed back with disinfectant.

Riled by a final question about a possible Cabinet reshuffle, he told reporters to mind their own business, then grabbed a container of alcohol mist and doused the front row before sauntering off.

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The quick-tempered former army commander, who overthrew the elected government in a 2014 coup, is known for his unpredictable behavior. In the past, he's spoken to a media scrum while fondling the ear of one of the reporters and flung a banana peel at camera operators.

After an event in 2018 he declined to speak to the media, and instead set up a life-size cutout of himself. “Ask this guy,” he said and walked away.

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(Published 11 March 2021, 15:23 IST)