Fights on offer as Pheu Thai MP and senator bicker in Parliament

PHOTO: @tanawatofficial

It only took two days before the fingers started pointing and the first offer of a fist fight was made.

Senator Kittisak Rattanawaraha, who challenged Pheu Thai MP Yutthapong Charassathien in parliament to a fist-fight yesterday, admitted he lost his patience because of Yutthapong’s continual bad-mouthing of other MPs.

The Senators have all been hand-picked by the NCPO before military Junta was disbanded and power handed over to the new Government.

He said that he was “not a priest” and could not stand the Pheu Thai MP, so he snapped back and then walked toward him to challenge him to a fight. Yutthapong refused his challenge.

Thai PBS reports that the bickering between Kittisak and Yutthapong stems from Pheu Thai’s criticism of the government’s policy on the suppression of corruption, during which he cited several cases of alleged graft such as the Interior Ministry’s plan to seek a 7.7 billion baht loan to purchase fire-fighting trucks and the Laem Chabang deep-sea port phase 3 project.

Palang Pracharat MP for Bangkok, Sira Jenjakha, protested that the fire-truck project was not part of the government’s policy. More MPs from opposing camps joined the fray.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, who was then attending the meeting, stood up and asked for permission to leave the meeting for a business appointment with the chairman of ICAO. He then departed.

Yutthapong, who was still in the debate, shouted at the Prime Minister’s back asking whether he was running away. This triggered another round of protests from Palang Pracharat MPs demanding that he withdraw the comment.

STORY: Thai PBS