Word: samaklis
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They're falling like dominoes. In just 48 hours, three top allies of Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej have been forced out of politics by a series of legal blows. On Thursday, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned after a constitutional court red-carded him for not consulting parliament on a border dispute with Cambodia. On Wednesday, the same court forced the resignation of Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap for not declaring his wife's assets before taking office, as is required by Thai law. And on Tuesday, former speaker of parliament Yongyut Tiyapairat was banned from politics for five years...
Just five months into his tenure as Prime Minister, Samak - a veteran right-wing firebrand who is equally as famous in Thailand for his T.V. cooking show - is now fighting for his political life. Not only has he lost three linchpins in his People's Power Party (PPP), but one of the court decisions could also spell the end of the entire party. Thailand's constitution mandates that a political party can be dissolved if one of its executives is found guilty of a crime. House speaker Yongyut was the PPP's deputy leader, and therefore the party - itself...
...occasion, the no-confidence sessions veered close to political farce. A member of the opposition Democrats accused Samak of being "immature" and "verbally and mentally dysfunctional." During the heated debate over his political future, Samak showed his disdain by pointedly folding origami cranes. He responded to the charges of mental incompetence by countering that he went for a medical check-up every three months - and that doctors had found nothing amiss...
...Seven members of Samak's cabinet also faced no-confidence motions; all of them survived the vote. But the fact that the ruling coalition held together doesn't mean that Thai politics are returning to normal. Coup rumors abound. Street protesters vow to continue their rallies, especially if Samak continues with plans to scrap the constitution passed by Thailand's military rulers last year. One of the most contentious parts of the charter is a provision that a political party can be dissolved if one of its executives is convicted of wrongdoing. In February, Thailand's election commission found...
...coincidence that one of the first constitutional amendments the P.M. pushed for is a reversal of the party-dissolution rule. Speaking to TIME, Samak scoffed at the possibility of a court case derailing his leadership and vowed to serve out his four-year term. But Thaksin is the only elected Prime Minister in modern Thai history to complete a full term. Unless Samak can channel Thaksin's once-mighty political skills, the occasional TV chef may be returning to stirring the wok full-time...