Stories tagged with samak
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Thai PM forced to step down
Thailand’s controversial Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet were forced to step down following the verdict of the Constitutional Court, which ruled that Samak had broken the Thai constitution by continuing to host his television cooking show while serving as PM.
Samak initially suggested that he would get his PPP party to reinstate him as PM within days, but divisions within the PPP have suddenly and surprisingly emerged helping make Samak’s decision to fade into the background much easier. While this is something of a victory for the anti-government PAD protestors, they have vowed to fight on even harder to finish off the current government.
The court’s ruling was broadcast live on radio and television, prompting cheers from much of the country. Samak’s cooking show, aptly named “Tasting and Complaining,” has been on the air for seven years and is very popular among Thais. But the Thai constitution states that the prime minister cannot undertake any other employment while in office. Samak said he would accept the ruling, bringing the first chapter of Thailand’s present political flux to an end.
In his defense, Samak said he only received compensation for the ingredients he used in his weekly show and transportations costs. Sakchai Khaewwaneesakul, the manager of the cooking show, said he paid Samak US$560 per show, a seemingly vast amount of baht for the ingredients used in Thai dishes.
Posted by: Andrew on 13 Sep 2008, 12:25 -
Samak Sundaravej new Thai PM
Samak Sundaravej won a parliamentary voting session Monday morning to become Thailand’s new prime minister.
The leader of the People Power party (PPP) received 310 votes with Democrat party nominee Mr Abhisit Vejjajiva receiving just 163 votes. Three people abstained and one was not present.
Mr Samak duly became Thailand’s 25th prime minister and is expected to be endorsed as prime minister by His Majesty the King.
The PPP leader’s win didn’t come as a surprise, given the high level of support from the rest of the PPP and coalition.
Mr Samak said that the new Cabinet would be announced within a few days after he has been royally bestowed by the King.
Seventy two year old Samak Sundaravej has been in politics almost 40 years and is one of the country’s most veteran politicians.
Although he was in favour of the 1976 coup which suppressed the student uprising, it was no secret that he opposed the 2006 coup which ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
More on Thailand's coups
Posted by: Andrew on 28 Jan 2008, 20:50