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New leader sought for Thailand
Agence France Presse - September 11, 2008
Bangkok – Thailand's ruling party yesterday said it was considering candidates for the premiership, backing off a vow to return the job to Samak Sundaravej, who was forced out over his TV cooking shows.
The Constitutional Court on Tuesday stripped Mr Samak of his post as prime minister, saying he had illegally accepted payments for hosting two food programs.
The verdict added to the political turmoil in Thailand in which protesters have barricaded the main government complex for more than two weeks and a state of emergency has been imposed across the capital.
Judges did not ban Mr Samak from politics, and his People Power Party said immediately after the ruling that it would re-elect him as prime minister.
But after a key coalition partner voiced concern over restoring Mr Samak to power, the party backed down and said it would consult its allies on possible candidates before a parliamentary vote set for tomorrow.
"For prime minister, we will consult again among PPP members in the next few days," the deputy party leader, Somchai Wongsawat, told reporters after meeting with the Chart Thai party, the second-largest member of the coalition.
"I am confident that our six-party government will hold together strongly, and I am sure that there will be no rebellion."
Mr Somchai, the most senior deputy in Mr Samak's cabinet, is acting as a caretaker prime minister until a premier is named.
His new role is certain to stoke the political flames: Mr Somchai is the brother-in-law of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup two years ago after protesters took to the streets, accusing him of using his position to enrich his billion-dollar telecom empire.
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