Prawit Wongsuwon slapped a female reporter because he didn't like her question. Photo / Screenshot
Prawit Wongsuwon slapped a female reporter because he didn't like her question. Photo / Screenshot
An influential Thai politician was filmed slapping a female reporter after she asked him a question, sparking a formal investigation into his conduct.
Prawit Wongsuwon, a 79-year-old MP and former Army chief, struck the woman several times as she was surrounded by other journalists last week.
“This behaviouris physical harassment,” said Senator Tewarit Maneechai, who added that he had requested a parliamentary investigation into Prawit’s conduct. “It is also disrespectful to a journalist who was doing her work.”
The incident happened on August 16, moments after Paetongtarn Shinawatra, of the Pheu Thai Party, won a vote in Parliament to become Prime Minister.
Paetongtarn, 37, will be Thailand’s youngest ever PM and the third from the billionaire Shinawatra family, with whom Prawit has a bitter history.
Prawit, who leads the Palang Pracharat Party and did not attend the vote, was asked by the female TV journalist for his thoughts on the victory.
He barked back: “What are you asking? What are you asking?” and then hit her several times on the head, TV footage showed.
Piya Tavichai, a party spokesman, said Prawit knew the reporter well and had apologised, adding that he would clarify the facts in any parliamentary process.
“He was teasing her as someone who he is close to,” he said.
“Because he was a soldier, the teasing could appear to be violent, but those close to him know that he teases like this all the time.”
The incident sparked widespread condemnation from Thailand’s media community. ThaiPBS, the country’s public broadcaster, asked Prawit to take responsibility for his actions.
Prawit is a political deal-maker and central figure in Thailand’s two decades of political strife. He was Deputy Prime Minister for nine years after a 2014 coup in which he took part.
Tewarit said he had requested an ethics investigation into Prawit through the Senate to be conveyed to the lower house of Parliament, which will have 30 days to respond. He said he was unsure what penalty Prawit could face if found guilty.
