Thai Leader May Be Ousted Over Cooking Show
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BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand’s prime minister, who has survived two weeks of militant street protests demanding his resignation, could be booted out of office for a handful of appearances on a cooking show where he whipped up dishes like “salmon coconut soup.”
Prime Minister Sundaravej, a well-known foodie and television chef, defended himself in the Constitutional Court yesterday against accusations that he broke a prohibition on private employment while in office by hosting a television cooking show.
The court’s verdict is expected today. If found guilty, he would have to resign, an outcome that would allow him to exit without succumbing to pressure from protesters who have occupied the grounds of his office complex since August 26, demanding he step down.
They accuse him of doing the bidding of former Prime Minister Shinawatra, ousted in 2006 by a military coup after demonstrations denouncing him for alleged corruption and abuse of power. The same protest coalition, the People’s Alliance for Democracy, has led both the current protests and the ones in 2006.
“By making a quick decision, the court will help a lot in resolving the political crisis,” a lawyer for a group of senators who filed the petition against Mr. Samak in the case, Suwat Apaipakdi, said. “If the court rules that Prime Minister Samak is disqualified from holding office, then the political crisis will automatically cease.”
But even if Mr. Samak is acquitted his troubles are not over — the Election Commission has recommended that his party be dissolved for vote fraud, and he faces a defamation suit and three possible corruption cases.
Mr. Samak’s immediate problem, however, is his appearance on the cooking show “Tasting and Complaining,” a mix of traditional Thai cooking and diatribes on the subjects of Mr. Samak’s choice, which he hosted regularly before taking office in February.
He made about a half-dozen appearances on the show after becoming prime minister — the most recent in May — prompting the senators to petition the Constitutional Court.
The Constitution stipulates that the prime minister is prohibited from holding any position in any business venture. In his hour-long testimony, Mr. Samak told the court that he only received an honorarium from the company that made the show.
