Complete coverage on

Samak Sundaravej

How can a candidate who is not on the ballot still appear to be a top contender in Thailand's big election?

Latest Stories

Report: Thai court dismisses case against ruling partyupdated: Mon Nov 29 2010 06:00:00

Thailand's Constitutional Court dismissed a case that could have disbanded the country's ruling party Monday, the country's MCOT news agency reported.

Former Thai Prime Minister Samak diesupdated: Tue Nov 24 2009 01:57:00

Former Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who was ousted from office last year for appearing on television cooking shows for payment, died Tuesday.

Thai ex-Prime Minister Sundaravej diesupdated: Tue Nov 24 2009 00:40:00

Former Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who was ousted from office last year for appearing on television cooking shows for payment, died Tuesday.

Interview with Samak Sundaravejupdated: Sun Jan 04 2009 22:27:00

Thailand's new Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is the first to be democratically elected since the nation's bloodless coup in 2006. A veteran politician and former governor of Bangkok, Samak is accused of being a nominee of friend and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. As he prepares to take office, he joins Talk Asia's Dan Rivers to discuss his allegiance to his ousted predecessor, corruption, and his alleged role in the Thammasat massacre of 1976.

Restoring the Land of Smilesupdated: Tue Dec 30 2008 05:55:00

Thailand's youngest and newest Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks with CNN's Dan Rivers on Talk Asia.

Abhisit Vejjajiva: Talking politics with Thailand's PMupdated: Tue Dec 30 2008 05:55:00

At 44-years-old Abhisit Vejjajiva is Thailand's youngest prime minister in more than 60 years. But perhaps more immediately significantly, he is the country's third prime minister in four months after a period of immense upheaval in Thailand.

Thai PM vows to restore stabilityupdated: Wed Dec 17 2008 12:39:00

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave his blessing to a new government led by Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday, with the new prime minister pledging to end months of upheaval.

Thai parliament picks new PMupdated: Mon Dec 15 2008 02:33:00

Thailand's parliament chose opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the country's new prime minister Monday, drawing angry protests from supporters of the recently dissolved ruling party outside.

Chaos in Bangkokupdated: Mon Dec 15 2008 02:33:00

Protesters riot in at Thailand's parliament as Abhisit Vejjajiva is elected Prime Minister in an emergency session.

Thai grenade attackupdated: Mon Nov 24 2008 02:51:00

A grenade attack inside the prime minister's office compound killed one person. (No audio)

Protests cancel Thai parliament sessionupdated: Mon Nov 24 2008 02:51:00

Thousands of anti-government protesters marched on Thailand's Parliament Monday morning, causing lawmakers to postpone their session fearing violence, said House speaker Chai Chidchob.

Grenade hits protesters at Thai PM compoundupdated: Sat Nov 22 2008 00:52:00

The second grenade attack in three days targeted protesters occupying the Thai prime minister's compound in Bangkok early Saturday, local officials said.

Thailand anti-government protestupdated: Fri Oct 17 2008 07:40:00

Thousands protest Thailand's prime minister accusing him of violent suppression and are calling for him to quit.

Time.com: Thai-Cambodian Border Spat Heats Upupdated: Wed Oct 15 2008 08:00:00

A gun battle near a historic temple reawakens an ancient emmity

Deaths as Thai police, protesters clashupdated: Tue Oct 07 2008 13:26:00

Two people died Tuesday when Thai police clashed with thousands of anti-government protesters who barricaded Parliament and prevented lawmakers from leaving.

Time.com: Thai Police Fire Tear Gas Against Crowd; 118 Hurtupdated: Tue Oct 07 2008 11:00:00

Thai riot police clashed Tuesday with thousands of protesters who barricaded Parliament and vowed to block the government from exiting the building. A deputy prime minister resigned to take responsibility for the chaos

Thai police arrest top anti-government leaderupdated: Sun Oct 05 2008 03:17:00

Thai police arrested a key opposition leader Sunday as part of its crackdown on the anti-government movement that want leaders of the ruling People Power Party purged from the Cabinet.

Former Thai PM loses second TV court caseupdated: Thu Sep 25 2008 07:12:00

Former Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej lost a second crucial legal battle Thursday, again over a television appearance.

Thai lawmakers elect Thaksin's in-law as PMupdated: Wed Sep 17 2008 20:49:00

Legislators in Thailand elected the brother-in-law of a fugitive former leader as the country's prime minister Wednesday.

Thaksin relative wins backing as PM nomineeupdated: Mon Sep 15 2008 03:08:00

Thailand's ruling People Power Party has nominated the brother-in-law of deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra for the post of prime minister.

Thai interim government lifts emergency ruleupdated: Sun Sep 14 2008 20:40:00

Thailand's caretaker government has lifted a state of emergency that the capital city, Bangkok, had been under since September 2.

Time.com: State of Emergency Lifted in Bangkokupdated: Sun Sep 14 2008 03:00:00

Thailand's acting prime minister lifted a state of emergency in Bangkok on Sunday

Former Thai PM to end comeback bid, aide saysupdated: Fri Sep 12 2008 13:02:00

Samak Sundaravej has decided to end his bid to return as Thailand's prime minister, according to an aide.

Thai ruling party nominates Samak for PMupdated: Thu Sep 11 2008 03:52:00

Thailand's ruling party nominated Samak Sundaravej to return as prime minister Thursday, two days after a court stripped him of the post.

Thai PM fired over cookery showupdated: Tue Sep 09 2008 23:23:00

Thailand's Constitutional Court Tuesday fired the country's prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, for violating the constitution by hosting a TV cooking show while in office.

Time.com: Thai PM Ousted over Cookery Showsupdated: Tue Sep 09 2008 09:00:00

Samak Sundaravej is ordered to resign for taking money to appear on a TV cookery show, but his party vows to reinstate him

Senate speaker steps into Thai crisisupdated: Fri Sep 05 2008 07:21:00

Thailand's Parliament on Friday asked the Senate speaker to mediate in the deadlock between the government and a protest group seeking to oust Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej from office.

Thai PM's future in doubt as referendum loomsupdated: Thu Sep 04 2008 21:01:00

Thailand's cabinet has agreed to hold a referendum to try and break a political deadlock that has paralyzed the government through daily street protests.

Thai prime minister refuses to resignupdated: Wed Sep 03 2008 22:26:00

Thailand's embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has vowed in a live radio broadcast that he will not resign, The Associated Press reported.

Time.com: Report: Thai Foreign Minister Resignsupdated: Wed Sep 03 2008 19:00:00

Thailand's state news agency says Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag has resigned, but government officials are refusing to confirm the report

Thai PM defiant in face of strikeupdated: Wed Sep 03 2008 15:30:00

Thai demonstrators have called for a general strike Wednesday, as state media reported the ruling by Thailand's election commission that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's People's Power Party should be dissolved for allegedly trying to buy votes.

Time.com: What Do Thailand's Protesters Want?updated: Wed Sep 03 2008 07:00:00

Though they've organized tens of thousands to hit Bangkok's streets to demand that the Prime Minister resigns, Thailand's anti-government alliance is not sure what they want to happen if he does

Thailand in state of emergencyupdated: Tue Sep 02 2008 23:00:00

Sondhi Limthongkul of the People's Alliance for Democracy tells CNN about his group's defiance in Thailand.

Time.com: Thai PM's Order Openly Floutedupdated: Tue Sep 02 2008 16:00:00

Thailand's embattled leader struggled to keep the peace and his grip on power Tuesday after declaring a state of emergency that was openly flouted by thousands of protesters

Thai PM declares state of emergency in capitalupdated: Tue Sep 02 2008 03:18:00

Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok in the wake of brutal anti-government protests, state television said Tuesday.

Time.com: Thai Premier Declares Emergency updated: Mon Sep 01 2008 23:00:00

Thailand's prime minister declared a state of emergency in Bangkok to restore order after overnight clashes between government opponents and supporters

Time.com: Thai PM Refuses to Step Downupdated: Mon Sep 01 2008 03:05:00

Facing chaotic street protests demanding his resignation, Thailand's embattled prime minister turned to lawmakers Sunday to find a way out of the crisis, but ended up having to fend off his critics' calls to step down or call new elections.

Protesters form human chainupdated: Fri Aug 29 2008 09:03:00

Buddhist monks and other protesters line the streets outside the prime minister's office compound in Bangkok.

Protests shut down Thai airports, rail servicesupdated: Fri Aug 29 2008 09:03:00

Anti-government protesters closed down three airports in Thailand Friday in an effort to force the prime minister to step down, airport officials said.

Time.com: Demonstrators Test Thai Hospitalityupdated: Fri Aug 29 2008 07:00:00

The thousands of protestors camped outside the offices of Thai PM Samak Sundaravej are just getting comfortable. How long will the embattled leader play the gracious host?

Time.com: Police, Protesters Clash in Thailand updated: Wed Aug 27 2008 03:05:00

Thousands of demonstrators occupying the Thai prime minister's office compound beat back an effort by riot police to remove them Wednesday and vowed to stay until the government resigns

Thai, Cambodian envoys set temple talksupdated: Thu Jul 24 2008 12:00:00

The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia will meet Monday in an effort to resolve a week-long military standoff over an ancient border temple that sits on disputed land, Thailand's prime minister said Thursday.

Time.com: Legal Blows Imperil Thai Governmentupdated: Thu Jul 10 2008 12:00:00

Just five months into his tenure as Thailand's Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej is now fighting for his political life

Time.com: Thousands Protest Against Thai Policeupdated: Mon Jul 07 2008 02:20:00

Thousands of protesters gathered in front of Thailand's national police headquarters Monday to demand action on long-pending legal cases against toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

Time.com: Thai PM Fights for His Political Lifeupdated: Fri Jun 27 2008 08:10:00

Thailand may once have been a political bright spot in a region overshadowed by juntas, but the last few years have been nothing short of chaos

Thaksin taken into custodyupdated: Sun Jun 22 2008 23:56:00

Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returns home to face corruption charges. CNN's Dan Rivers reports.

Constitution protests continue in Thailandupdated: Mon Jun 02 2008 12:59:00

Despite winning a string of government concessions, hundreds continued to protest on the streets of Thailand Monday, some calling for the country's prime minister to resign.

Thai PM threatens forces on protestersupdated: Mon Jun 02 2008 12:01:00

Thailand's prime minister has warned he may send in police and soldiers to disperse several hundred people who have been staging an around-the-clock protest in Bangkok for the past six days.

Time.com: Thailand's Prime Minister Speaksupdated: Mon May 05 2008 18:00:00

Samak Sundaravej talks to TIME about democracy, the military, relations with Burma and, of course, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra

Time.com: Q&A: Samak Sundaravejupdated: Fri May 02 2008 06:00:00

TIME's Bangkok bureau chief Hannah Beech talks with Thailand's new Prime Minister

Thailand proposes rice cartel ideaupdated: Fri May 02 2008 03:30:00

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej piqued global interest this week when he suggested the formation of a rice cartel with other producers, a government spokesman said.

Time.com: Soothsayer: Doom for Thailand Govt.updated: Thu Apr 10 2008 00:55:00

The latest rival of Thailand's new Prime Minister isn't the opposition party or the junta he replaced. It's the celebrated soothsayer who says he's going down

Time.com: A New Thai PM Takes Charge -- For Nowupdated: Wed Jan 30 2008 04:00:00

Samak Sundaravej is handily elected Thailand's Prime Minister, but with a mandate that's far from secure -- and an exiled Thaksin Shinawatra waiting in the wings

Thailand's Samak appointed PM-electupdated: Mon Jan 28 2008 00:52:00

Thailand's parliament chose a prime-minister-elect on Monday, according to Thai television.

Democracy returns to Thailandupdated: Mon Jan 28 2008 00:52:00

Thailand's parliament reopens, marking the end of 16 months of military rule. CNN's Dan Rivers reports.

Thaksin's wife pleads not guiltyupdated: Wed Jan 23 2008 02:00:00

The wife of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Wednesday during a brief first hearing before the Supreme Court.

Democracy returns to Thailand after 16 months of military ruleupdated: Mon Jan 21 2008 11:51:00

Thailand's parliament reopened Monday, marking the end of 16 months of military rule and the return of democracy to the Southeast Asian country.

Thaksin's wife returns to Thailand to face graft chargesupdated: Tue Jan 08 2008 00:49:00

The wife of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Thailand Tuesday morning to face corruption charges, promising to fight the accusations, her attorney said.

We recommend