I Am Not a Cook

Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej was recently removed from office because…he took pay to host a cooking show! Later, he got in more hot water when he was found guilty of defaming another politician during a political talk show he was hosting. Perhaps his next TV appearance should be on a Thai version of Judge Judy.

To Americans, this sounds as weird as electing Emeril president and then impeaching him for selling cookbooks. Actually, Samak is a career politician who moonlighted as the host of the popular cooking show “Tasting and Complaining” before becoming prime minister last January. Unfortunately for him, he forgot (or ignored) a law that prohibits Thai prime ministers from earning outside income.

Samak is a controversial figure who has been linked to the violent suppression of pro-democracy activists while serving as interior minister and deputy prime minister in various right-wing governments over the past few decades. On the bright side, he probably makes a mean Pad Thai, but now it seems his goose may be cooked….