AP:
Former Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej dies
BANGKOK — Samak Sundaravej, a firebrand politician who briefly served as Thailand’s prime minister but was ousted for simultaneously getting income as host of a popular TV cooking show, died of cancer Tuesday. He was 74.
Samak died at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok after a long battle against liver cancer, hospital official Navachamol Sangkaew said. Samak had sought treatment for the cancer late last year in the United States and kept a low-profile after returning to Thailand.
Known as a straight-talker with a penchant for the profane, Samak’s political career spanned four decades but many supporters remembered him best for his TV show called “Tasting and Complaining,” a mix of traditional Thai cooking and rants on Samak’s pet subjects.
There’s more from CNN.com, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and AFP.