Thailand's People Power Party (PPP), the core of the six-party coalition government, will call an urgent meeting with its coalition partners on Wednesday to renominate Samak Sundaravej as prime minister, according to the party's deputy leader Kan Thiankaew.
Kan made the remarks on Tuesday after the Constitution Court earlier on the day ruled that Samak was in violation of the supreme law for conflict of interests by hosting two paid TV cooking shows, thus disqualified Samak as prime minister immediately.
If Samak turns down the nomination, said Kan, the PPP would propose an alternate candidate.
But he dismissed some media speculation that Banharn Silapa-archa, the leader of PPP's coalition partner Chart Thai Party, would be a candidate for the replacement.
Banharn, a weathered politician in Thailand, also denied on Tuesday that he would succeed Samak as the new premier.
Tuesday's court verdict required the step-down of Samak and the whole cabinet. But the Cabinet is allowed to act as the caretaker government pending the formation of a new one.
The PPP has also indicated that it would push for a quick vote at the House of Representatives to reinstall Samak in office by Friday, if possible.
But House Speaker Chai Chidchob on Tuesday expressed uncertainty about the date, by saying that under the parliamentary rules, MPs need to be notified about the vote three days in advance.
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Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej sits before judges at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok September 8, 2008. Thailand's Constitutional Court will rule on Tuesday whether Samak violated the constitution by hosting television cooking shows while in office, a judge said on Monday.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo] |
(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2008)
