Thailand's prime minister was caught on video spraying hand sanitizer at reporters during a press conference in Bangkok Tuesday.
The incident happened after he was asked a series of probing questions about his planned cabinet reshuffling at his weekly news conference inside the Government House in the country's capital.
Witnesses said that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was becoming visibly irritated at the questions being asked. He reportedly told some members of the press to "mind their own business." Before leaving the room, the politician reportedly approached the first row of reporters and began spraying them in the face with a mist of hand sanitizer.
He then covered his own face with a mask to protect himself from inhaling the mist.
Prayuth Chan-ocha - a former army commander that overthrew the elected government in 2014 through a military coup - is known for his short temper and unpredictable behavior.
At one impromptu press conference, Prayuth Chan-ocha fondled the ear of one reporter and flung a banana peel at a cameraman. In 2018, he brought out a life-sized cutout of himself and told reporters at a press conference to "ask this guy" before leaving abruptly.
Prayuth Chan-ocha's latest outburst came after reporters asked him about the ousting of three of his cabinet ministers. The three ministers were forced out from their position by a court last month after they were found guilty of sedition through their alleged participation in protest activities between 2013 and 2014.
Before he literally sanitized the press, the last question that was asked was about when he planned to name the new ministers.
Political experts said that Prayuth Chan-ocha's recent actions will likely be detrimental to his already stained reputation.
Calls for his resignation have grown in recent weeks, with protesters calling for political reform. Nationwide anger worsened after several activists were arrested and charged with violating the country's lese majeste law, a law that prohibits citizens from openly criticizing royal family members.
Last week, hundreds of protesters marched on the street of Bangkok ignoring the country's pandemic restrictions. The protesters were demanding the immediate release of prisoners charged with conspiring against the government.
