Rangsima wants alcohol tests for MPs in House

Following a war of words on the House floor on Friday night, during which she accused Deputy Premier Chalerm Yoobamrung of being drunk while at a Parliamentary meeting, Samut Songkhram Democrat MP Rangsima Rodrasami has suggested that an alcohol-testing device be installed to prevent inebriated MPs from disrupting House sessions.

Chalerm, who interrupted Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's closing speech, denied on the House floor that he was drunk, joking that he was just "intoxicated by love".

Rangsima said Chalerm held the position of deputy prime minister in charge of national security and tabled the charter amendment draft, but could not deliver a closing a statement. She said he could not carry out his duty because he was drunk.

"Chalerm cannot deny that he was drunk because there is a video clip of a House meeting which makes it crystal clear that he was. I was a nurse and used to clean up messes made by drunks. I know there were many MPs who were drunk, but only a few attended the meeting to cause turmoil. The culprits are already 'dead'. If this incident happened in another country, they would have quit already," she said yesterday.

Rangsima said she would propose at the House meeting on Wednesday that measures be found to prevent intoxicated MPs from attending meetings. She would also call for the House Ethics Committee to investigate the incident.

Rangsima urged the public not to vote for MPs who misbehave in the next election.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reportedly called a meeting with Chalerm after being informed that the House session was briefly suspended due to the allegation of drunkenness.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party deputy spokesperson Mallika Boonmeetrakool called on Yingluck to rein in male MPs who allegedly intimidate and act disrespectfully towards female MPs.

She said following the incident in which some male MPs drank alcohol in Parliament, disrupted debate and intimidated Rangsima, Yingluck as a woman and the government leader who hand-picked and appointed ministers should admonish and discipline Pheu Thai MPs so they respect women and treat them with dignity.

"How can Yingluck run the government if her Cabinet members do not know their duty, time and place? How is Yingluck going to control her Cabinet and her party MPs, if she cannot rein in them?'' she said.

Mallika also accused red-shirt leaders from the Northeast of verbally attacking Rangsima by calling out her parents' name. She called on National Police Chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong to take action against them.

She said she was ready to fight the libel suit filed against her by Yingluck over the Four Seasons Hotel controversy, adding that she was carrying out her duty as an MP to check on the country's number one public figure.