It is just a "damn you", another incident that will probably be attributed to a major government figure showing how "friendly" he is with the press.
Why do we have to make a fuss about it?
The reasons are many:
Because there is more to Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon swearing at reporters than it just being him acting in his usual eccentric manner.
Because such a vulgar gesture from a prominent member of the cabinet should not be tolerated.
Because first they come for the reporters. And if nobody speaks out, then, they could come for the protesters and any ordinary citizens one day, who knows?
If we fail to draw the line and stop the generals from regarding the press -- and all of us -- as unequal human beings who do not deserve to be treated with dignity, then we are fostering authoritarianism ourselves.
Gen Prawit last week lost his cool and retorted at reporters with the curse of ai ha or "damn you' when pressed about possible conflicts within the ruling Palang Pracharath party following the cabinet reshuffle.
It's not the first time Gen Prawit has caused an uproar with his crudity.
There was the controversial death of young military cadet Pakapong Tanyakan.
The 18-year-old died in 2017, a day after he returned to the school after a short break.
The academy attributed his death to sudden cardiac arrest but the family suspected corporal punishment played a role.
Even before the second autopsy result was known, Gen Prawit defended the army and its controversial practice. He said it was normal for military cadets to be subject to corporal punishment.
When asked how to prevent the cadets from being abused to the point of injury, Gen Prawit said that no one had forced the young men to enroll.
"Don't become soldiers. We only take those who are willing," Gen Prawit said.
His seemingly insensitive comment enraged the public so much that PM Gen Prayut had to play it down, saying the DPM did not mean to disrespect the deceased.
But the PM has not offered a good example in how to treat people with decency either.
His spraying of sanitiser on journalists to avoid questions about the recent cabinet reshuffle was thoughtless.
His apologies later appeared forced and were offered in a most sullen manner.
The PM said he could offer an apology but let it be known that he only intended the spraying of disinfectant in the face of reporters as a joke.
Instead of owning up to his inconsiderate act which could cause harm to others, the PM shifted the blame to the journalists, suggesting they had over-reacted.
Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, Gen Prayut admonished the media in between his half-hearted apologies.
The same blame game was deployed when 700 sacks of rice showed up mysteriously on the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Hong Son province.
News reports emerged which alleged that the Thai army was sending supplies to the Myanmar military, despite it being under increasing international sanction for its brutal crackdown on protesters which left more than 300 dead.
The Thai army denied the reports, but in an ambiguous, confused manner that further fuelled doubts instead of putting them to rest.
One officer said the Thai army did not supply the rice to its Myanmar counterpart. It was only asked to deliver the staple across the border.
His comment naturally caused people to ask what the difference was?
PM Gen Prayut himself came up with yet another version saying the rice was to be sent on humanitarian grounds to Myanmar people who were relocated from highland to lowland areas for security reasons.
What is the truth?
When pressed, the PM admitted that the rice belonged to Myanmar. He did not elaborate on how the supply was transported into the area, on what terms and whether the delivery, if made, would compromise the country's standing in the eyes of the international community.
The PM did not say why he claimed earlier the rice was part of humanitarian aid either.
Gen Prayut did emphasise, however, that the media should not blow a "minor" issue out of proportion. Reporters who tried to find out the truth were slandered for being "unpatriotic". Some who covered anti-government rallies have been shot with rubber bullets.
So the "damn you" is not just a curse but a testament to the government's belief in its own monopoly on the public agenda and the right to remain above criticism.
Does the expletive still sound like friendly banter to you?