Thai Constitutional Court says PM must step down

Udon Thani: Thailand's Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej must resign for hosting two TV cooking shows, possibly boosting weeks of anti-government protesters.

The court ruled that Samak violated the constitution by participating in the TV shows while still in office and ordered him to step down.

The ruling will likely be hailed by the thousands of protesters who have been barricaded inside the Government House compound for two weeks, calling for Samak to step down.

However, earlier on Tuesday, Thailand's ruling People Power Party (PPP) voiced its support for conflict ridden Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, saying it would renominate him for the top position if he was disqualified by a court for hosting TV cooking shows while in office.

"We believe the court will give us justice, but if the court rules otherwise, we will nominate Mr. Samak as the prime minister again," PPP spokesman Kudeb Saikrachang said.

"The majority of the PPP think that he is still qualified to be prime minister. He is no longer a TV show host and remains the party leader," he said.