Word: samaklis
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After just three months in office, Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has already bested naysayers who predicted his coalition government wouldn't last two weeks. Although he said last year that he was handpicked to run by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed by a military coup in 2006, Samak has recently distanced himself from the controversial, populist ex-premier. Sitting in the neo-Italianate splendor of Bangkok's Government House, Samak tells TIME's Hannah Beech that he doesn't take direction from Thaksin - and describes in detail the green curry and pork-tongue stew...
...Varin predicts political trouble will heighten in late April or May. But it hardly takes a professional soothsayer to come to the conclusion that the current government is on shaky ground. Although Samak's party is popular in the rural northeast, the right-wing politician counts far fewer supporters among Bangkok's middle class and political elite. Even Samak himself indicated last month that he had been warned of a possible coup attempt?although the Prime Minister did not elaborate details of the purported plot...
...power, the junta may have thought it could unite an increasingly polarized country. But even after the military regime publicized a litany of complaints against Thaksin-alleged corruption, abuse of power and even disrespect for the country's beloved monarch-his populist policies still resonated with many rural poor. Samak's victory came precisely because of support from these voters, who still believe that Thaksin-or, failing that, his proxy-is the only person who will help them with microfinancing or affordable healthcare...
...Little wonder, then, that Samak's new cabinet, which even the P.M. has dubbed an "ugly duckling" cabinet, appears focused on promoting people with ties to Thaksin. Thaksin's former spokesman is now Foreign Minister, while the new Finance Minister is a friend of the ousted P.M. who has little economics training. Three wives of men who were members of Thaksin's dissolved political party were also named cabinet members. To top it off, Thaksin's brother-in-law is deputy prime minister...
...Despite this odd assortment, Samak has vowed to get down to business and tackle Thailand's problems, ranging from underwhelming economic growth to rising consumer prices. But with a respected fortuneteller predicting the demise of this government, many Thais aren't confident that Samak will survive long enough to accomplish much. The question, then, is whether Samak's successor might have more time to fix Thailand?s troubles. On this point, sadly, Varin the soothsayer isn?t talking...