Shoes and water bottles rained on Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on Wednesday as he visited the Information Ministry.

The angry throwers were about 200 government employees who were critical of Somchai for his perceived closeness to former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra, sentenced on Tuesday for two years because of violation of the country's corruption law. Thaksin is Somchai's brother-in-law.

Somchai's bodyguards and security tried to protect him from the deluge of water containers and footwear. The prime minister brushed aside the incident, insisting, "It was not a serious protest."

This is not the first time that angry protesters overstepped their bounds to show their disenchantment with the administration. Two weeks ago Somchai crawled under a barbed wire fence to flee aboard an army chopper after protesters seized the parliament.

Being hit by a shoe is an insult in Thailand since the feet is considered the body's dirtiest part.