BANGKOK , Thailand ( CNN ) -- Thailand 's Constitutional Court Tuesday fired the country 's prime minister , Samak Sundaravej , for violating the constitution by hosting a TV cooking show while in office . Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej talks with a market vendor on Monday in Udon Thani province . Tuesday 's ruling against Sundaravej , who has faced weeks of violent street protests , also forces the resignation of his cabinet . Ministers are barred from working for private companies , and Samak 's opponents filed the case hoping that a conviction will compel him to step down . In theory , analysts say , Samak can return as prime minister in days -- if the ruling coalition nominates him again and a parliament vote is taken . Samak appeared in court Monday , and argued that he had not violated any rules . His work for the television company , he said , was as a freelancer and not an employee . Further , he said , the show was not on the air any more and that he received just $ 2,300 for his appearances . The 73-year-old Samak continued to appear sporadically on the show `` Tasting while Grumbling '' after he became prime minister in February . On the show , he served up personal favorites and dished on topics that struck his fancy . Watch CNN 's Dan Rivers on latest crisis for Thai PM » . Soon after taking office , he told CNN that he was no reason to halt his participation . `` Somebody says as a prime minister , I have time , but I should not do such a thing like that . I said , 'No , I checked the constitution already . There 's no obstruction with that , ' '' he said . Professor Suchit Bunbongkarn , an expert on the constitution , said the document clearly bans prime ministers from being employed by a private entity . `` It depends on the constitutional court to decide whether receiving money to appear in the programs on the television could be considered an employee of any employer or not , '' he said . The court case is another attempt by Samak 's opponents who have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at him . Samak was already facing charges of corruption , appealing a three-year prison sentence for defaming a deputy governor and dealing with an election commission decision last week that his party committed electoral fraud in the December elections and should be dissolved . In addition , thousands of protesters have camped outside the Government House , the government 's headquarters -- blocking Samak from entering since August 26 . The protesters are demanding that Samak step down . They accuse him of being a proxy for his ousted predecessor , Thaksin Shinawatra . Samak has strongly denied the allegation and has refused to resign . On Tuesday , he declared a state of emergency in the capital city of Bangkok after overnight clashes between his supporters and anti-government demonstrators that wounded 40 and left one person dead . The People 's Alliance for Democracy ( PAD ) -- which is heading the protests -- contends Samak is trying to amend the constitution so Thaksin does not have to face charges . Thaksin , who was ousted in a coup in 2006 , returned to England last month just as he was to appear in court in a corruption case . CNN 's Dan Rivers contributed to this report .
Thai court fires PM Sundaravej for violating constitution . Sundaravej participated in television cooking show . Comment: