By Nopporn Wong-Anan
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Constitutional Court orderedPrime Minister Samak Sundaravej to stand down on Tuesday,accusing him of breaking the law by hosting cooking shows oncommercial television while in office.
Samak's ruling People Power Party (PPP) brushed off theverdict, saying it wanted parliament to meet on Friday tore-elect the 73-year-old as PM, to the dismay of the protestersoccupying his Government House compound to try to force himout.
"I insist that our party leader will be the primeminister," chief government whip Wittaya Buranasiri toldreporters within minutes of the televised court ruling.
The verdict prompted some cheers from the People's Alliancefor Democracy (PAD), who accuse Samak of being a puppet ofThaksin Shinawatra, ousted as premier by the army in a 2006coup.
Others were more cautious, realising the judges had failedto provide even a stop-gap solution to the political crisisthat has riven Thailand since the PAD first launched itscampaign against Thaksin three years ago.
"We will stay here until this government is thrown out,"PAD leader Prapan Kunmee told the crowd from therock-concert-style protest stage that now sits on the frontlawn of Samak's official compound. "Samak may come back."
There was no immediate reaction from Samak himself,believed to be travelling back to Bangkok from a "mobile"cabinet meeting in Udon Thani, a PPP stronghold 560 km (350miles) northeast of the capital.
The stock market, which has fallen 24 percent since the PADstarted its street protest against Samak in May, closed down0.3 percent, having shown little reaction to the verdict.
COOKED UP CHARGES?
The PAD, a mix of royalist businessmen, academics andactivists united by their hatred of Thaksin, had hoped to burySamak with the conflict of interest charges caused by hishosting the TV shows while in office.
Deputy Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat -- who just happensto be Thaksin's brother-in-law -- will become acting primeminister, the government said, an appointment hardly likely tocalm PAD ardour.
Testifying in his own defence on Monday, the belligerentstar of the aptly named "Tasting, Grumbling" denied anywrongdoing, suggesting the case against him was politicallymotivated.
The 80,000 baht (1300 pounds) his driver received was tocover the cost of fuel and ingredients for the show, Samakadded. He gave up the show in April, more than two months afterbecoming prime minister.
With the thick skin that has typified his behaviourthroughout, Samak toured a meat and vegetable market in UdonThani on Tuesday before his weekly cabinet meeting.
At a pro-government rally on Monday evening, he vowed notto resign or call a snap election.
"I declare that I will not dissolve parliament. I will notquit. I will fight on," he told thousands of cheeringsupporters.
The standoff between the government and PAD has paralysedadministration decision-making at a time of slowing economicgrowth and high inflation.
It has also scared away visitors to the "Land of Smiles",with airlines and hotels reporting cancellations amid a flurryof travel warnings in the wake of a street battle between pro-and anti-government groups last week and Samak's declaration ofemergency rule.
Two years after its removal of Thaksin in a coup, the armyignored Samak's orders to move against the PAD, insisting itwould not intervene again, but senior officers acknowledge thepolitical crisis has reached a stalemate.
If the deadlock continues or more people are hurt orkilled, the crisis could trigger a move by revered KingBhumibol Adulyadej, who has stepped into several disputesduring his six decades on the throne.
(Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Alan Raybould and JerryNorton)