Cooking show lands Samak in hot soup

Thailand's Constitutional Court yesterday ordered Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign, accusing him of breaking the law by hosting cooking shows on TV while in office.

"The defendant has violated Article 267 of the constitution, and his position as prime minister has ended," Chat Chonlaworn, head of the nine-judge panel, said. The cabinet will remain in a caretaker position until a new administration is installed, he said.

Before the court began its session, Samak said he would honor the verdict. But he was not available for comment after the order was passed.

The verdict was broadcast live on TV and radio, and evoked mixed reactions from protesters who have been occupying Samak's office compound since Aug 26, to press him to resign.

Some of them greeted it with loud cheers, but others feared the belligerent 73-year-old's People's Power Party (PPP) would simply vote him back to power.

In fact, Samak's supporters immediately vowed to do just that. That could mean Thailand would remain in the grip of a political crisis, which has virtually paralyzed the government, hurt the financial markets and scared away tourists.

Wittaya Buranasiri, chief government whip for the PPP, a successor to the disbanded party of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, echoed the defiance Samak has shown throughout the three-month campaign against him.

"I insist that our party leader will be the prime minister," he told reporters within minutes of the court verdict.

The stock market, which has fallen 24 percent since the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) launched its agitation at the end of May, closed down 0.3 percent, having failed to react to the verdict.

Samak, a self-proclaimed foodie, hosted a popular TV cooking show, Tasting and Complaining, for seven years before becoming prime minister earlier this year. He made several appearances after taking office, breaking a constitutional prohibition on private employment while in office.

"His employment at the company can be considered an employment," Chat said. Samak gave "conflicting testimony" and there was an attempt to fabricate evidence "to hide his actions", he said.

In his defense, Samak had claimed he was not an employee of the company that made the show and only received payment for his transportation and the ingredients used for cooking.
Questions:

1. How old is embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej?

2. Who was it that ordered Prime Minister Sundaravej to resign?

3. How much has the stock market fallen since the People’s Alliance for Democracy began protests?

Answers:

1. 73 years-old.

2. Thailand’s Constitutional Court.

3. 24 percent.