Thailand’s prime minister was forced to resign along with his Cabinet yesterday after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had broken a conflict-of-interest law by hosting TV cooking shows while in office.
“The defendant has violated Article 267 of the Constitution, and his position as prime minister has ended,” Chat Chonlaworn, the head of the nine-judge panel, told the court.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s supporters immediately vowed to bring him back to power, indicating that Thailand remains gripped in a deep political crisis that has virtually paralyzed the government, spooked the financial markets and scared away tourists.
Chat said that the Cabinet would remain in a caretaker position until a new administration is installed.
The judgment, broadcast live on television and radio, was greeted with loud cheers and claps from Samak’s opponents who have occupied his office compound since Aug. 26 to demand his resignation.
Samak, a self-proclaimed foodie, hosted a popular television cooking show — Tasting and Complaining — for seven years before becoming prime minister earlier this year. He made several appearances after taking office, breaking a constitutional prohibition on private employment while in office.
Before the court began its session, Samak said he would honor the verdict.
He was not immediately available for comment.
In his defense, Samak had claimed he was not an employee of the company that made the show and only received payment for his transportation and the ingredients used for cooking.
Kuthep Saikrajang, the spokesman of Samak’s party, said its members unanimously agreed to renominate Samak in Parliament as their candidate for the prime minister’s post. But the final decision depends on Samak as well on other parties in the ruling coalition, he said.
There was also no sign that the alliance supporters and protesters would now vacate the Government House compound.
“Samak was ousted by the court, but there is no guarantee he will not return in the next few days. So our protest will continue for the time being,” alliance spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said.
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
‘DANGEROUS GAME’: Legislative Yuan budget cuts have already become a point of discussion for Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Elbridge Colby said Taiwan’s fall to China “would be a disaster for American interests” and Taipei must raise defense spending to deter Beijing, US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead Pentagon policy, Elbridge Colby, said on Tuesday during his US Senate confirmation hearing. The nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy told the Armed Services Committee that Washington needs to motivate Taiwan to avoid a conflict with China and that he is “profoundly disturbed” about its perceived reluctance to raise defense spending closer to 10 percent of GDP. Colby, a China hawk who also served in the Pentagon in Trump’s first team,
SEPARATE: The MAC rebutted Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is China’s province, asserting that UN Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor grants the PRC authority over it The “status quo” of democratic Taiwan and autocratic China not belonging to each other has long been recognized by the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday in its rebuttal of Beijing’s claim that Taiwan can only be represented in the UN as “Taiwan, Province of China.” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday at a news conference of the third session at the 14th National People’s Congress said that Taiwan can only be referred to as “Taiwan, Province of China” at the UN. Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, which is not only history but
INVESTMENT WATCH: The US activity would not affect the firm’s investment in Taiwan, where 11 production lines would likely be completed this year, C.C. Wei said Investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the US should not be a cause for concern, but rather seen as the moment that the company and Taiwan stepped into the global spotlight, President William Lai (賴清德) told a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday alongside TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家). Wei and US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday announced plans to invest US$100 billion in the US to build three advanced foundries, two packaging plants, and a research and development center, after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on chips made
RSS