South Dovani

[Wu Han]

PM Prasert Under Fire After Slapping Female Journalist on Video 

---

28 April 5644

---

Prime Minister Prasert Thanomchai is facing criticism and public outcry over an incident this morning in which he hit a female journalist who was asking the prime minister a question in relation to the NERI Files scandal.

Hanzai Rath reporter Prang Siriwanich asked the prime minister if he had ordered Justice Minister Narongrit Gason (UCF) to ignore the Independent Anti-Corruption Agency (IACA) investigation into alleged corruption linked to the NERI privatization process. Leaked documents from OpenLedger suggest that the IACA submitted a report to Justice Minister Narongrit Gason in 5638, but the report was neither released nor acted upon by Prasert's government.

"What kind of question is that, bitch?" Prasert shouted, slapping the reporter on the head multiple times before being ushered away. "What in the hell is that question?"

Later in the afternoon, the prime minister's office issued an apology, with Prasert claiming he was simply "teasing" the journalist in a way he was familiar with, citing the "rough and rowdy" days of his military service. Aids to the Prime Minister have come to his defence, with one stating that "physical comedy is a hallmark of Prasert's famous wit."

Organizations representing journalists across the nation have had a uniformly negative reaction to both the incident and the apology issued by the prime minister's office:

"Attacks on journalists, even if they are dismissed as simple 'teasing,' still send a chilling message those in the free media across the nation that elites act with impunity, and see nothing wrong with physically assaulting journalists who might ask questions they are uncomfortable with answering," said Traipoom Kaouthai, president of the Journalists Association of South Dovani.

Others have suggested that the incident reflects the stress Prasert has been under in recent weeks and months, amidst ongoing mass street protests, violence in the Eastern provinces, rising crime, labour union militancy, and an economy facing a downturn. Opposition leader Kawin Kittisakchai of the Justice Party (JP) sharply criticized the Prime Minister at a mass demonstration later in the evening, stating that "if the stress of the manifold crises facing South Dovani are too much for him," then Prasert should "make way for a new generation of leadership, rather than striking it down with his fists."

---

The Udon Nakhon Post is a Luthorian-language daily newspaper published in Udon Nakhon, South Dovani. It is among the oldest newspapers in continuous publication in South Dovani, and is considered a newspaper of record for the country. 

---

OOC Note: This event is drawn heavily from a real-world incident involving the politician I've used for Prasert Thanomchai, Thai ex-army chief and politician Prawit Wongsuwon, in which he slapped a female journalist in 2024. While I've re-contextualized the incident for RP, it should be noted that the comments by Prasert during and after are more extreme, though qualitatively similar to those made by Prawit and his allies during the interaction.