Picture: Daily News
Extraordinary comments were made by Thailand's Minister of Health and DPM on Thursday evening at a function in Chiang Khan, Loei in the north east, notes ASEAN NOW.
Comments that may one day come back to haunt the outspoken minister not well known for being a shrinking violet.
Nearly two years ago he was shouting at a "farang" for not accepting his gift of a mask. Now he was boasting that Thailand was much better than the rest of the world in keeping Covid-19 at bay.
Daily News used his nickname "Sia Noo" in their headline. Sia is a name for a rich businessman - Anutin is a billionaire. Noo means mouse (or rat).
Mighty Mouse might be an accurate translation though as he presided over an event celebrating the opening up of Thailand it appeared more like Mighty Mouth!
Here's what he said.
He called Covid "krajork". This is a word for a sparrow but is generally used to mean "inferior" or low class. Visitors to Thailand are sometimes teased with this word if they don't spend much.
He said that Covid-19 had devastated the whole world but claimed that Thailand had stood up to it.
He dismissed the threat of the new Omicron variant adding that in time people would just need one jab as Covid would be just like a local infection, just like 'flu.
He said that Covid couldn't beat the Thai health service that he heads.
"It's no match for our doctors", he boomed.
Next year there was tons of vaccine available, he said. You'd be able to get 3, 4 or even five doses of "government vaccine".
There was absolutely no need to "go private" (and pay for it) he spouted in his speech.