Thai prime minister tells journalists to talk to his cardboard cutout

Thailand’s prime minister reportedly left reporters shocked and amused at a press conference Monday by directing their questions to a cardboard cutout of himself — and then leaving.

Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters that his cutout would take their questions, after which he “turned on his heel” and left the press conference, according to The Associated Press.

“If you want to ask any questions on politics or conflict,” he said, “ask this guy.”

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The move was reportedly met with laughter from the press corps, who were expecting to press the leader on government issues.

Chan-ocha briefly gave remarks to reporters as part of an event to promote the country’s upcoming Children’s Day, but deployed his cardboard self as a way to dodge questions from reporters on other issues as the conference ended.

Thailand’s prime minister has a strained relationship with reporters and has in the past threatened to execute journalists who produce critical coverage of his administration, which was formed in 2014 after a coup.

“We’ll probably just execute them,” he said in March 2015. “You don’t have to support the government, but you should report the truth.”

According to the AP, he has also resorted to more childish antics, including throwing banana peels at reporters during interviews and fondling the ear of a sound technician.

Thailand’s government is classified as a military junta. Chan-ocha, previously an officer in the country’s Royal Thai Army, seized power in May 2014 from the country’s caretaker government after the previous leader had been removed from office.