Samak Found Guilty By Court, Must Resign

[cmsally]

This could get interesting. Previous articles on where Samak would be destined in a post PM phase have often brought up the fact that he could be destined for the Privy Council.

If this is the case it would send a strong but indirect message to certain people and factions.

This would prove one of my theories, out of the three I have correct.

Of course can't discuss too much as against forum rules, so enough said.

[Boater]

All seems very strange,

Thaksin brought down over his buiness

Samak Brought Down over his cookery show

What will happen to the next PM, Brought down for moon lighting in Soi Cowboy

[LaoPo]

Talk about embarrassing for Thailand! On the 4 pm BBC World bulletin everyone including the

Southeast Asia correspondent as well as Jonathan Head in Bangkok were shaking their heads

in disbelief that the prime minister of a country has been brought down by a cooking show !!

They even used the word " bizzare " to describe such a situation.

They admitted that they've even given up speculating how this will work out eventually

but he was concerning that Jonathan Head commented there is a risk this will not

resolved peacefully this time.....................................

It really does look dreadful that a country that has attracted so much foreign investment in the past

appears to be in such a muddle !

This is a fun place to live but it just reinforces my belief that it's too risky to invest

one satang in this Disneyland !

"Thailand has had its fair share of crises recently, but this is one that even the Thais are baffled by, our correspondent says."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7605838.stm

Thailand has exposed itself it has outgrown the path to democracy into a real

BIZARRE BANANA REPUBLIC

The whole world is laughing and even Hollywood and Bollywood couldn't have written such a script.

Can anyone imagine what the world leaders are talking about today to each other ?

Poor Thailand, they lost face to the whole governance world; what's next ?

LaoPo

[logbags]

Jamuk moo paak maa. Nose of a pig, mouth of a dog. This is the face he is trying to save??

[Tony Clifton]

[Sunderland]

I don't support the PAD with their lack of long term solutions to Thailand's political problems, but still wonder why so many supposedly 'in the know' foreigners believe that Samak and his circus show are deserving of power because of what can be loosely described as democracy. A complete sham in all respects.

Samak faces still further legal problems.

The Electoral Commission has recommended his party be disbanded, after a finding of serious irregularities in its campaign to win the December election which returned full civilian government to Thailand.

And Mr Samak awaits a verdict on his appeal against a 24-month sentence for defamation. If the sentence were upheld he would be stripped of all political offices and banned from politics. He also has a corruption matter outstanding from his time as Bangkok governor in the 1990s.

He's obviously innocent (chuckle, chuckle) on all accounts.

[londonthai]

if the PM wants to be a muppet to run a cooking show - let him be. Tony Blair appeared in Simpsons as well in a comedy sketch "Am I bothered", he might or might have not been paid, he did it for publicity.

if the opposition tries to get rid of samak on this ground - it's an obvious manipulation of the law.

[Splatter]

guardian.co.uk Friday February 01 2008 14:47 GMT

“…But he intends to keep space in his busy life for food. Unlike most Thai men, Samak is the cook in his family and even conducted open-air workshops while he was mayor of Bangkok. "The constitution does not restrict a prime minister from talking about food," he said. "I think I'll have a one-hour programme on Sundays."…”

Whoooooops. Appears the constitution DOES restrict a prime minister from talking about food on the telly.

[ThNiner]

I hope the Nation or Bangkok Post will properly translate the court's verdict. It was pretty well reasoned. If any of you could understand Thai and had listented to the verdict, you probably wouldn't have spewed the stuff you just did.

[kurtgruen]

I think this should be titled:

TV cooking show host forced by court to quit moonlighting as Prime Minister

LOL ROFL

[Lancashirelad]

Talk about embarrassing for Thailand! On the 4 pm BBC World bulletin everyone including the

Southeast Asia correspondent as well as Jonathan Head in Bangkok were shaking their heads

in disbelief that the prime minister of a country has been brought down by a cooking show !!

They even used the word " bizzare " to describe such a situation.

Suprised no one else has mentioned it. Do you not think this a timely piece of engineering? To save face re the PAD. A nice way of slipping out quietly (relatively) without admitting defeat.

1228 users reading as i type & going up by the hundreds every time i refresh the page!

[ThNiner]

guardian.co.uk Friday February 01 2008 14:47 GMT

"…But he intends to keep space in his busy life for food. Unlike most Thai men, Samak is the cook in his family and even conducted open-air workshops while he was mayor of Bangkok. "The constitution does not restrict a prime minister from talking about food," he said. "I think I'll have a one-hour programme on Sundays."…"

Whoooooops. Appears the constitution DOES restrict a prime minister from talking about food on the telly.

No it doesn't. But for better and more transparent governace, it does forbid a PM from co-owning a private company or working for one while he's in office.

[Artisi]

Before everyone gets on the band wagon re; he was kicked out for a insignificant cooking show ..YES - why - because he broke the law.

So one question to all those who will cry foul - should be not be found guilty because you think the job / employment was insignificant - well how about being the director of a major business - would that be ok to find him guilty.

It's a bit like well - it was only a little murder not a big one. Guilty is guilty which ever way you want to twist it.

[kennkate]

Who has the finger on the button now ? Sorry I forgot The Army. Silly me

[samtam]

guardian.co.uk Friday February 01 2008 14:47 GMT

“…But he intends to keep space in his busy life for food. Unlike most Thai men, Samak is the cook in his family and even conducted open-air workshops while he was mayor of Bangkok. "The constitution does not restrict a prime minister from talking about food," he said. "I think I'll have a one-hour programme on Sundays."…”

Whoooooops. Appears the constitution DOES restrict a prime minister from talking about food on the telly.

But surely that's not all he did. I may be wrong, (and am running for my flak jacket as I type), but surely he interspersed it with political commentary. And there's the small matter of what we call "breaking the law", by accepting remuneration, whatever he and his legal team and the cooking show decided to call it.

[kurtgruen]

I hope the Nation or Bangkok Post will properly translate the court's verdict. It was pretty well reasoned. If any of you could understand Thai and had listented to the verdict, you probably wouldn't have spewed the stuff you just did.

My wife translated some of it for me, watching the whole thing live with intensity, on ASTV. Towards the end, she clapped her hands, laughed and said.."Yes, he's gone"

A few minutes later, one of our foreign friends with his Thai girlfriends showed up and when she heard it, she laughed and said "Finally, he is gone"

Gotta' get ready for our Samak Good bye party. Sorry, since my wive is probalby a better cook than him, too, he won't be invited ;-)

[aries27]

just lost face HA HA HA

NOPE.. just saved face...

[innovator]

There is the letter of the law and the spirit behind the law.

So, according to the letter of the law, he was guilty.

However, can one truly justify terminating a PM over cooking on a TV show, according to the spirit of the law?

[ubonjoe]

What if?

The coalition government backs him and is ready to vote him back in.

Samak says no thank you.

No resignation (that would be giving into PAD). A very honorable exit. Also a very good face saving move.

But who would replace him? Not one from PAD's short list of two for sure.

Would this satisfy PAD and they agree to negotiate.

Things like this happens in politics all the time. A little backroom bargaining.

[Splatter]

guardian.co.uk Friday February 01 2008 14:47 GMT

"…But he intends to keep space in his busy life for food. Unlike most Thai men, Samak is the cook in his family and even conducted open-air workshops while he was mayor of Bangkok. "The constitution does not restrict a prime minister from talking about food," he said. "I think I'll have a one-hour programme on Sundays."…"

Whoooooops. Appears the constitution DOES restrict a prime minister from talking about food on the telly.

No it doesn't. But for better and more transparent governace, it does forbid a PM from co-owning a private company or working for one while he's in office.

Thanks for that. I thought after I posted it I'd get a pedantic reply. Apologies.

By the way. A splendid idea of yours to read the entire transcript. Could you please translate it for the benefit of others? Thanks again.

[waza]

Thai PM must resign over cooking show scandal: court

Posted 30 minutes ago

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his entire cabinet must resign over the scandal surrounding his TV cooking show, the Constitutional Court said.

The court, which said Samak had violated the constitution by accepting payments for hosting the show, ruled he must stand down immediately.

His cabinet could remain as a caretaker administration for 30 days until parliament elects a new prime minister.

"The Constitutional Court unanimously agreed that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has violated the constitution, article 267 - therefore his ministerial position has ended," the verdict read.

"As Samak's ministerial status has ended his entire cabinet must go, but they have to stay as caretaker government until the new cabinet is formed," it added.

But despite the ruling by the nine judges, Samak is not barred from standing again for prime minister, and his party has already confirmed they would elect him back to the premiership.

The court accused Samak of lying in his testimony when he said he did not receive payment from television production house Face Media following his election to the premiership.

Tax records showed he continued to receive payment.

"The suspect has fabricated his evidence," the verdict said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/09/2360186.htm

[JetsetBkk]

...The Electoral Commission has recommended his party be disbanded, after a finding of serious irregularities in its campaign to win the December election which returned full civilian government to Thailand.

And Mr Samak awaits a verdict on his appeal against a 24-month sentence for defamation. If the sentence were upheld he would be stripped of all political offices and banned from politics. He also has a corruption matter outstanding from his time as Bangkok governor in the 1990s.

He's obviously innocent (chuckle, chuckle) on all accounts.

Yes, so why not get him on substantial charges - the vote buying or defamation? Why jump in with this ridiculous cooking show charge. Stupid maak maak.

[ThNiner]

KurtGruen

Samak violated the law by working for a private company and getting paid while he's in office...not because he cooked stuff on a TV show. He was paid in millions in total, just to let you know.

I hope this is clear enough for some people.

[toptuan]

What will happen to the next PM, Brought down for moon lighting in Soi Cowboy

Probably not. PM's have already been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

Study your relatively recent Thai history, post-1990 shenanigans.

[hammered]

Lied in his evidence. He should be done with perjury now.

[toptuan]

Double post removed.

Edited September 9, 2008 by toptuan

[ThNiner]

Splatter, I didn't read the entire script. I just watched it on TV. I'm Thai.

[blaze]

Dont know excatly where this leads, but in the meantime these thais are teaching farang courts how to deal with the law !

When is the last time a PM has been convicted of anything in farangland ?!?

++ ^^

And that's because Thailand is a MUCh more legally aware country than any in the west. Try dropping a cigarette butt on Sukhumvit road- and it is this concern with law and order that explains how neat and orderly and clean the country is.

[ThNiner]

The guy who sponsored the show also was just appointed a member of Thai Airlines or Airport Authority executive board by Samak. I'm actually not sure which orgnaization. This was another charge which implied the conflict of interest.

Just wanted to let some people know.

Edited September 9, 2008 by ThNiner

[ThaiPauly]

Lets see if I have got this right?....his PPP party will re-elect him as PM in 30 days because they and the coalition have more votes than the Democrats ????

So he can just take a months holiday and then come back and the ball starts rolling again

Please tell me I'm wrong in my assumption

PLEASE...as this just does not make any sense at all to me