This article is more than 12 years old

This article is more than 12 years old

Just when Thailand's beleaguered prime minister thought things could not get any worse, he found himself in court today defending his popular cooking show.

Samak Sundaravej, the irascible rightwinger and passionate foodie, spent an hour in the witness box dismissing accusations that his extra-curricular activities violate the constitution.

The constitutional court is due to make its ruling tomorrow, and if it finds Samak guilty the 73-year-old who took office at the head of a six-party coalition seven months ago could be forced to resign.

Samak has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok where clashes between government supporters and opponents left one man dead and dozens injured.

More than 5,000 anti-government demonstrators from the People's Alliance for Democracy have been camped in the grounds of Samak's offices for nearly two weeks, accusing him of corruption and demanding he quit.

The protesters have turned the elegant grounds of the heart of the Thai government into a scene that resembles a carnival, with a constant diet of music and political speeches. Samak and his ministers have been barred from entering their offices.

The cooking show, Tasting, Grumbling, a mix of tips on traditional Thai cooking and rants on subjects of his choosing, represents the most immediate threat to his power.

Samak had hosted the show for several years before he became prime minister, though it went off the air after the government appointed by the leaders of the 2006 coup closed down the state broadcaster.

On taking office Samak hosted several of the shows after the channel was resurrected, finally stepping down two months into the job.

Senators accused Samak of breaching the constitution by working for a private company while he is prime minister and filed a petition.

In court today, Samak said he was not employed by the television company but received a small fee and the cost of his transportation to the studio.

"I was hired to appear on the programme and got paid from time to time," he said. "I was not an employee of the company, so I did not violate the law. I presented the cooking show and got paid for my acting."

The managing director of the company that produced the programmes, Sakchai Khaewwaneesakul, testified that Samak was paid 80,000 baht (£1,250) for four shows.

"The presenters of our show are not our employees," he said. "But we pay them honorariums."

Samak was indicted by an independent watchdog, the national counter-corrupt commission, which forwarded the allegation to the constitutional court.

If the court disqualifies Samak from office, it could defuse much of the political tension that has beset Thailand for months. "By making a quick decision, the court will help a lot in resolving the political crisis," said Suwat Apaipakdi, a lawyer for the senators who lodged the petition.

"If the court rules that prime minister Samak is disqualified from holding office, then he political crisis could automatically cease."

The election commission ruled last week that Samak's People's Power party had committed electoral fraud and should be disbanded, a case also expected to end up before the constitutional court.