Thailand PM forced out for hosting his own cookery show

Thailand's Constitutional Court accused Samak Sundaravej of breaking the law by undertaking commercial activity while in office.

The 73-year-old, an associate of the previous premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was found to have contravened a ban on ministers having outside interests by taking money for the show, called Tasting and Complaining.

Bon apetit: Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej cooks Thai food during a cooking workshop in Bangkok. He has been forced out for hosting his show

The court also ordered his entire cabinet to step down.

A self-proclaimed foodie, Mr Samak hosted the programme for seven years before becoming prime minister, and made several appearances after taking office this year.

He says he was not paid, but his driver was given expenses for buying ingredients.

The court's decision intensifies the climate of political uncertainty in Thailand, which has been in turmoil in recent weeks after demonstrations led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, the group which forced Mr Thaksin from office two years ago.

One man died in street clashes last week.

In court in Bangkok, judge Chat Chonlaworn said Mr Samak had "violated Article 267 of the constitution" and that "his position as prime minister has ended".

The judgment was broadcast live on television and was greeted with applause from Mr Samak's opponents, hundreds of whom have occupied his government compound since the end of last month.

The ruling People Power Party has vowed to re-appoint Mr Samak as prime minister. "I insist that our party leader will be the prime minister," said Wittaya Buranasiri, chief whip of the six-party coalition led by the PPP.

Mr Samak has not been banned from standing again and it will be 30 days before the ruling takes effect.

The show which ran for more than seven years, featured the food-obsessed and apron-clad Mr Samak, cooking popular Thai recipes and delivering right-wing, anti-Communist political diatribes. It also showed him shopping in Bangkok markets.

After being elected in February by a coalition government which ended 16 months of military rule, he declared: "The constitution does not restrict a prime minister from talking about food."

He continued broadcasting, although the show eventually stopped in April. He said any money earned was only to cover his expenses.

Even after stepping down from the programme, he continued to make food a theme of his time in office, serving chicken to Thai soldiers on the Cambodia border and to Thai athletes heading for the Olympics.

Mr Samak made his name as an anti-communist radio commentator in the 1970s and is seen as a mouthpiece for Mr Thaksin, until recently the owner of Manchester City, who is wanted in Thailand on corruption charges.

Mr Samak's opponents said they would stay in the compound. "Samak was ousted by the court, but there is no guarantee he will not return in the next few days. So our protest will continue for the time being," said alliance spokesman Suriyasai Katasila.

The leading English-language newspaper The Bangkok Post proclaimed: "Today, Mr Samak looks to have hit a dead end on his political road."