Parliament should have measures to stop drunk MPs from entering a House session, says Democrat MP Rangsima Rodrasamee.
Ms Rangsima made the comment on Saturday after accusing Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung of being drunk during the charter amendment debate on Friday night.
Democrat MP Rangsima Rodrasamee
The MP for Samut Songkhram suggested installing an alcohol detector at the chamber’s entrance to prevent drunken MPs from attending a House sitting.
She said House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont should not feel embarrassed about adopting such a measure because the sight of intoxicated lawmakers affects the country's image.
Mr Chalerm late Friday night repeatedly harangued Democrat and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as he concluded his party's presentation in the charter debate, prompting Ms Rangsima to shout out that he wasn't sober.
"Are you drunk? I smell liquor on you," the Democrat MP said.
"Don't let the drunkard enter parliament," she told Senate Speaker Teeradej Meepien, who was chairing the meeting.
However, Mr Chalerm continued his tirade, prompting Gen Teeradej to adjourn the meeting for five minutes.
"Someone just accused me of being drunk. No sir, I’m intoxicated by love, not by alcohol," Mr Chalerm told Mr Teeradej.
Ms Rangsima noted that while Mr Somsak had instructed police to escort her out of the chamber last week for demanding Premier Yingluck Shinawatra explain her visit to the Four Seasons Hotel on Feb 8, no action was taken last night to expel Mr Chalerm.
This was not the first time Mr Chalerm had been drunk during a House sitting, she claimed.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung
Mr Chalerm denied the allegation but his condition was obvious to other MPs in the House, according to Ms Rangsima. She said he had not been drinking alone but was with a group of other MPs outside the chamber during the meeting.
She called on the deputy prime minister to act like a man and accept his guilt. If this happened to a politician in another country, he would have had resigned by now, she added.
She also urged voters and political parties not to select politicians who exhibit such inappropriate behaviour in the next election.
Ms Rangsima said she would raise the issue again in the House meeting on Wednesday.