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Former Thai PM sacked over cookery shows dies at 74

BANGKOK: Former Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej, who was forced from office in 2008 for starring in television cooking shows, died of liver cancer on Tuesday at the age of 74, associates said.

The colourful right-winger spent nine protest-hit months as premier, having stormed to victory in Thailand's first elections after the military coup that toppled his ally Thaksin Shinawatra from power.

Figures from all sides of the kingdom's bitterly divided political spectrum paid tribute to the fiery-tongued Samak, whose career spanned four decades and who had been battling liver cancer for more than a year. Samak died “peacefully” at 8:48am (0148 GMT) on Tuesday at Bangkok's private Bumrungrad Hospital after more than two months of medical treatment, said medical director Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon.

The silver-haired Samak was a leading figure on Thailand's political scene, with earlier stints as deputy prime minister, interior minister and governor of Bangkok. His family also had close ties to Thailand's deeply revered palace. Before his time as premier, Samak had been taking a break from politics and featuring on two television shows, where he scoured markets advising viewers on selecting quality goods and whipping up Thai treats in the kitchen. afp

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