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Agency Report<\/p>\n
Kindly share:<\/span><\/p>\n Thailand\u2019s parliament said it would investigate a senior politician and former army chief after he was filmed slapping a reporter as she tried to ask him questions.<\/span><\/p>\n Prawit Wongsuwan lashed out at a journalist from public broadcaster ThaiPBS on Friday as she asked him about the appointment of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the kingdom\u2019s new prime minister.<\/span><\/p>\n The 79-year-old was seen in a video hitting Duangthip Yiamphop several times around the head as he left a building, demanding \u201cWhat are you asking? What? What?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Prawit, Thailand\u2019s army chief in the early 2000s, was one of the architects of the 2014 coup that ousted Paetongtarn\u2019s aunt, then-PM Yingluck Shinawatra.<\/span><\/p>\n He went on to serve as deputy prime minister under the military-backed government that ruled until last year.<\/span><\/p>\n The Thai parliament said in a statement that it would investigate the slapping after ThaiPBS made a formal complaint.<\/span><\/p>\n Prawit could potentially face suspension as an MP or even a lifetime ban if he is found guilty of a serious ethical violation.<\/span><\/p>\n The Thai Journalists\u2019 Association condemned Prawit for using \u201cviolence against a journalist\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Thai Journalists Association considers his actions to be threatening and harassing toward the rights and freedom of the press,\u201d it said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n Noppadol Srihatai, the executive editor of ThaiPBS, told reporters that Prawit\u2019s actions \u201cthreaten journalism\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe was seen hurting a reporter and we cannot accept it. As a public organisation, we must protect journalists\u2019 rights so that media work won\u2019t be affected in the future,\u201d Noppadol said.<\/span><\/p>\n Prawit has apologised to the reporter, saying he \u201cdid not have any bad intentions\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The retired general has been one of Thailand\u2019s most influential dealmakers over the past two decades of turbulence, a key figure in the kingdom\u2019s conservative pro-military, pro-royalist establishment.<\/span><\/p>\n He was subject to a graft probe in 2018 over his collection of luxury watches after online sleuths dug up old photos of him wearing at least 22 different timepieces, including 11 Rolexes.<\/span><\/p>\n But the National Anti-Corruption Commission dropped the case. AFP<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Agency Report Kindly share: Thailand\u2019s parliament said it would investigate a senior politician and former army chief after he was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,2,3],"tags":[536,537,538],"class_list":["post-1845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime","category-news","category-politics","tag-paetongtarn-shinawatra","tag-prawit-wongsuwan","tag-thailand-parliament"],"yoast_head":"\n