The celebrity chef Samak Sundaravej is not going to let a little thing like being Prime Minister of Thailand interfere with his true passion.

Moments after being sworn in yesterday, the combative politician vowed that his popular weekly cookery show would return promptly to TV screens across the country.

Tasting, Grumbling, a colourful extravaganza that combines traditional Thai cuisine with toxic political tirades, has been off the air for several weeks. The show, which has a devoted fanbase among the lower-middle class masses, was a belated victim of the coup. The army-appointed Government took Tasting, Grumbling and its cantankerous presenter off screens soon after commandeering the television station that broadcast it.

Yesterday Mr Samak promised to revive the show, which had been on the air for seven years, making his first policy announcement after being elected by MPs earlier in the day. It was issued, fittingly, at the Or Tor Kor farmers' market in Bangkok, where Mr Samak was making his weekly selection of prawns and spices.

“The constitution does not restrict a prime minister from talking about food. I think I'll have a one-hour programme on Sundays,” Mr Samak said. “Even the Prime Minister of New Zealand can be a tour guide to promote the country's tourism. I may host a similar tourism programme in the future.”

During the parliamentary debate yesterday, the food-obsessed leader briefly left the session and headed for the cafeteria, where he ordered rice with curry and stir-fried asparagus.

Surrounded by a huge throng of photographers and reporters, Mr Samak complained: “If I have to encounter this every time I have my meal, it will be an unhappy life for me. See, there's no boiled egg, no omelette and the curry is not hot. How will you feel if you are in this situation while having your meal?”

Mr Samak, 72, who made his name as a vitriolic anti-communist radio commentator in the 1970s, was elected Prime Minister by a coalition that came to power after elections last month ended 16 months of military rule. He owes his new position and power base to Thaksin Shinawatra — the leader who was forced into exile by the coup but who still commands passionate support throughout rural Thailand.

Living in London and now the owner of Manchester City Football Club, Mr Thaksin faces arrest on corruption charges if he returns to Thailand.

On the campaign trail, Mr Samak did not disguise his status as Mr Thaksin's man and the vehicle through which the exiled leader would do his bidding. Mr Samak made it clear repeatedly that he would attempt to push through his predecessor's policies and said that his mission was to bring the former Prime Minister “back to the limelight”.

Beyond the appointment of a Cabinet next week, it seems likely that one of Mr Samak's first jobs will be to clear Mr Thaksin's route back to Bangkok by disbanding a committee set up by the military government to investigate corruption charges against him.

Ruling the airwaves

— Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan President, has a regular 90-minute radio broadcast highlighting his achievements and the failings of his enemies

— George Galloway, the Respect Party MP, appeared on Celebrity Big Brother imitating a cat

— Silvio Berlusconi’s company, Mediaset, owns three Italian TV stations. The tycoon and prime ministerial candidate commanded three hours and 16 minutes of airtime in 15 days up to the 2006 elections, His rival, Romano Prodi, had eight minutes

Source: Times archives

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