Thai Constitutional Court to rule on PM's fate

Bangkok: Thailand's Constitutional Court will determine whether Prime Minister Samak Sundravej violated the constitution, a judge said on Monday.

The Court will rule if Samak demonstrated conflict of interest by hosting television cooking shows while in office.

The embattled prime minister appeared in court on Monday, denying he was paid a salary to conduct the shows "Tasting, Grumbling" and "Touring at 6 am".

He quit the shows in April, over two months after he was sworn in.

If found guilty, Samak will have to step down along with his cabinet, potentially satisfying thousands of protesters barricaded within Government House for two weeks.

The constitution bans the prime minister and cabinet ministers from working for profit-oriented private entities.