• 
• 

Published on January 30, 2008

He even had a senior monk give him blessings for a bright future.

Samak treated the army of journalists to a feast in the morning, and also arranged for an Italian dinner banquet from the "Fusio" restaurant for 150 VIP guests.

Samak welcomed Phra Khru Palat Sopit Chotikul, a senior monk from Wat Arun Rajavararam (the Temple of Dawn), who gave him a Buddha statue entitled "Somdej Phra Maha Dhammik Chakrapadiraj".

The monk explained that the Buddha image's name stood for "administering the country with the Lord Buddha's teachings".

"He [Samak] is suitable for the job of prime minister. He is a good, sincere guy and is loved by most people," the monk said. He also presented Samak with an amulet.

However, not everybody was pleased with the new premier. Motorcycle taxi drivers near Samak's home in Bangkok's Soi Nawamin 81 in Bueng Kum, complained bitterly that police had ordered them to move across the road.

The 25th premier, who spent most of the morning preparing to receive endorsement from His Majesty the King, handed out 1,000 photos of himself in official attire.

Piyanart Srivalo, The Nation