The Guardian today reported that yet another Thai Premier has been ousted by the Thai Courts for not acting within the law. Hot on the heels of the military coup that ousted the previous Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the current Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has been ordered to step down for breaching a rule in the constitution about holding business interests outside his office. A rule that was written after Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed amid corruption allegations.
Interestingly the way he was breaching this rule was by hosting his own cooking show - a sort of Thai version of Gordon Ramsay's shows called "Tasting, Grumbling" where Samak demonstrates how to cook delights such as pork leg cooked in Coca Cola as well as visiting restaurants and markets. The final part of the show features his rants about whatever happens to be on his mind that week. He has been hosting the show for eight years - long before he was elevated to his current role.
In recent weeks anti-government protesters have been demanding his resignation on the grounds he is corrupt, they occupied his compound and this resulted in the declaration of a state emergency. As he is such a "lightening rod" the judges have resolved that enforcing this clause is the most expedient way of getting rid of him.
It made me think how different things would be if the same happened here. If we had a Prime Minister holding a regular cooking show it would probably INCREASE their popularity. Reality TV is increasingly filling up our screens and celebrities are seen as role models and thought leaders. Gordon Brown's popularity is dwindling on a daily basis as our economy continues to melt down, fuel prices rocket, inflation increases and house prices tumble. Brown's ill-conceived response is to take the Cabinet away on a 'jolly' for their regular meeting this month.
Gordon, I suggest you get out your pinny, give Jamie, Gordon or Ainsley a call and team up with a clever production company to come up with a winning format!
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