Thai politician, 79, hits female reporter when she asks about country's new PM

This is the shocking moment a Thai politician appeared to slap a female reporter who was asking him about the country's new Prime Minister.

Prawit Wongsuwan, 79, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party and head of Thailand's National Olympic Committee, had finished welcoming athletes at the Government House in Bangkok when he was approached by the journalist on Friday afternoon, August 16.

She asked him if he had watched the live broadcast of the selection of a new Prime Minister after unelected judges last week banned the opposition - which won the election - and this week kicked out the PM Srettha Thavisin, from a different party.

Footage shows the aging politician, who had aspirations to lead the country himself, suddenly reaching out and hitting the reporter in the face and then on the head.

He's heard saying: 'What? What? What are you asking? What are you asking?'

Staff ushered him into his car, where he allegedly continued taunting the woman.

The female reporter is yet to make a police complaint. However, if the politician is found guilty of assault he could face up to two years in prison.

Thailand's circus-like parliament selected Paetongtarn Shinawatra - daughter of disgraced ex-convict Man City owner Thaksin Shinawatra- as the new Prime Minister following the dismissal of property tycoon Srettha Thavisin for appointing a minister with a previous criminal conviction.

The Pheu Thai Party is said to currently be in conflict with Prawit's party, Palang Pracharath Party.

The hostility reportedly stemmed from an internal rift within the Pheu Thai Party, after Paetongtarn became angry at a member, MP Wan Yubamrung, for supporting the party's rival candidate in the recent gubernatorial election in Pathum Thani province.

Wan then resigned from Pheu Thai and shifted over to Palang Pracharath, while his father, MP Chalerm Yubamrung, also declined to attend the prime ministerial selection.