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Samak Sundaravej

Samak Sundaravej news stories

13 Stories

 Thai PM: I Won't 
  Return to Power 

After party battle, Samak will not seek renomination

BBC BBC Sep 12, 08 9:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - Thailand's ousted prime minister will not seek reelection, possibly paving the way for an end to the country's political crisis. Samak Sundaravej was forced from office Tuesday after the country's supreme court ruled that his appearances on a TV cooking show violated the constitution. "He said he did his best to protect democracy. From now on it's up to the party to decide what to do next," said an aide. More »

More about:  Thailand • Samak Sundaravej • People's Power Party

ANALYSIS

Thai Democracy Movement Is Anything But

Protests in Bangkok pit elite against fairly elected government

New York Times New York Times Sep 12, 08 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - In Bangkok, the People's Alliance for Democracy has entered its third week of occupying the office of the Thai prime minister, who was booted from office on Tuesday by the country's supreme court. But as Seth Mydans of the New York Times observes, the PAD only looks like a "people's power" revolution. In fact, it's a counterrevolution—against a government that, good or bad, won power in a fair election by a huge majority. More »

More about:  Thailand • protesters • Bangkok • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters • monarchy • Samak Sundaravej

 Court Boots Thai PM 
 Over Cooking Show 

Samak forced to resign as protests continue in Bangkok

Associated Press Associated Press Sep 9, 08 6:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Thailand's supreme court has ruled that the prime minister and his government must resign, declaring that his participation in a TV cooking show violated the constitution. The unanimous ruling comes as opponents of Samak Sundaravej continue to occupy Government House in Bangkok, reports the AP. While Samak may seek a new mandate, he might use the court's ruling to make a graceful exit from the political crisis that has gripped Thailand for months. More »

More about:  Thailand • Bangkok • constitution • cooking • People's Alliance for Democracy • constitutionality • Samak Sundaravej • television personality

Cooking Show Could Cost
Thai PM His Job

Ruling tomorrow on Samak's TV work
could ease unrest

Guardian (UK) Guardian (UK) Sep 8, 08 3:26 PM CDT
(Newser) - Thailand’s prime minister could be forced from his post tomorrow, the Guardian reports—not by protesters who have taken over government offices, but by a court ruling that hosting a TV cooking show was unconstitutional. Samak Sundaravej, 73, hosted Tasting, Grumbling , for years before being elected, appeared a handful of times since taking office in January—possibly violating laws on public officials working for private money. More »

More about:  television • lawsuit • Thailand • protesters • constitution • cooking • prime minister • Thai protesters • Samak Sundaravej

 State of Emergency
 Declared in Bangkok

Army steps in after clashes kill protester, injure dozes

BBC BBC Sep 2, 08 2:03 AM CDT
(Newser) - A state of emergency has been declared in Bangkok after clashes between rival groups of protesters left one dead and dozens injured, the BBC reports. Pro- and-anti-government groups battled each other with sticks, clubs and pipes after administration supporters smashed through police lines near a complex occupied for a week by protesters. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots. More »

More about:  Thailand • Bangkok • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters • Samak Sundaravej

 Bangkok Bomb Raises
 Stakes in Standoff

Protesters mark 7th day of occupation of Thai PM's office

Reuters Reuters Sep 1, 08 5:03 AM CDT
(Newser) - A small bomb went off outside a Bangkok police station as anti-government protesters continued their occupation of the Thai prime minister's office for a seventh day. Although nobody was injured in the blast, a senior government source told Reuters that the People's Alliance for Democracy "has launched a guerrilla war with us." The PAD denied responsibility for the explosion. More »

More about:  Thailand • protesters • Bangkok • Thaksin Shinawatra • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters • monarchy • Samak Sundaravej

 Thai Protesters
 Battle Riot Cops

Police post eviction order on 4th day of protest occupation

Reuters Reuters Aug 29, 08 7:37 AM CDT
(Newser) - Riot police clashed with protesters in Bangkok as demonstrations against the Thai government continued for a fourth day. Cops posted a court order evicting the People's Alliance for Democracy—a woolly coalition of monarchists, academics, and youth activists—from the lawn of the prime minister's office. Some protesters were detained, but police failed to oust some 4,000 demonstrators. Nine leaders have been charged with insurrection, a crime that carries the death penalty, reports Reuters. More »

More about:  Thailand • Bangkok • Thaksin Shinawatra • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters • Samak Sundaravej

 2,000 Cops Surround
 Thai Protesters

Prime minister holds firm on 2nd day of demonstrations

Reuters Reuters Aug 27, 08 6:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - As anti-government protests continued outside the Thai prime minister's office, 2,000 police officers surrounded demonstrators and a court issued arrest warrants for nine of the protest's leaders, Reuters reports. The People's Alliance for Democracy—a monarchist movement—is seeking to bring down the government of Samak Sundaravej. But the prime minister said calls for his resignation were "unreasonable." More »

More about:  Thailand • Bangkok • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters • Samak Sundaravej

 Thai Protesters Storm
 PM's Office, TV Station

Monarchists seek to bring down government; army sits out

BBC BBC Aug 26, 08 5:37 AM CDT
(Newser) - Thousands of protesters have spread out across Bangkok, storming the prime minister's office and forcing Thai state television off the air, reports the BBC. The mass protest movement seeks to force out the government of Samak Sundaravej, whom they see as a stooge for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now on the lam. "We are now controlling most of the key government offices to prevent them from coming to work," said one protest leader. More »

More about:  Thailand • Bangkok • Thaksin Shinawatra • People's Alliance for Democracy • Thai protesters • Samak Sundaravej

 1,000 Thai Protesters
 Clash With Cops 

Demonstrators demand ouster of prime minister

Associated Press Associated Press Jun 20, 08 6:21 AM CDT
(Newser) - An anti-government protest in Bangkok turned violent today as more than 1,000 protesters broke through a police barrier outside government offices. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of Samak Sundaravej, the Thai prime minister whom opponents call a proxy for ousted predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra. Protesters have been in the streets of Bangkok for the past three weeks, reports AP. More »

More about:  Thailand • protesters • Bangkok • Thaksin Shinawatra • Samak Sundaravej • political protest

Thailand Plans OPEC-Style
'Rice Cartel'

PM wants to control market with neighbors, including Burma

Bangkok Post (Thailand) May 1, 08 9:54 AM CDT
(Newser) - The prime minister of Thailand is exploring the idea of setting up a rice price-fixing cartel with four other governments in southeast Asia, including the military dictatorship of Burma. The Bangkok Post reports that Samak Sundaravej wants to establish an OPEC-style collective of producers that will influence the market for rice, whose rapidly rising price has resulted in protests and hunger riots. More »

More about:  Burma • Myanmar • Thailand • food prices • Samak Sundaravej • rice • rice prices

Deposed Thai PM Returns Home

Crowds and cops greet Thaksin as he flies home for first time since coup

BBC BBC Feb 28, 08 6:33 AM CST
(Newser) - Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra flew home today after 17 months in exile to cheering supporters and police, who quickly escorted him to court to face corruption charges. Thaksin, the billionaire owner of the Manchester City soccer team who was forced from power by a military coup, knelt and touched his native soil with his forehead when he landed in Bangkok.  More »

More about:  corruption • Thailand • Thaksin Shinawatra • Samak Sundaravej • exile • military coup • Thai elections

Party of Exiled Thai PM Ready to Govern

Strikes deal with at least one other party; Thaksin to return in '08

Associated Press Associated Press Dec 24, 07 5:47 AM CST
(Newser) - Samak Sundaravej is set to become Thailand's next prime minister after his party announced today that it had recruited at least one other party to form a coalition government, the AP reports. The People's Power Party, the bloc allied with deposed PM Thaksin Shinawatra, won yesterday's elections but fell short of an absolute majority. More »

More about:  Thailand • Thaksin Shinawatra • Samak Sundaravej • People's Power Party

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