The former Prime Minister of Thailand Samak Sundaravej died of liver cancer this morning in a Bangkok hospital. He was 74. He was under treatment for cancer in Bamrungrat Hospital for about a year. Thai media reports said Samak's funeral will be held at Benjamaborpit Temple and a royally-sponsored bathing rite is set for tomorrow. <br/>He was elected as Prime Minister in January last year after his party, the People Power Party, won the first general election since the military coup that ousted the former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. Samak was disqualified from office in 2008 because of hosting a cooking show.<br/>