BANGKOK, : Former Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej has been hospitalised by a bout of food poisoning, his successor said Saturday.

The politician and former television cooking show host is at the privately-run Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok where he will stay for a few days, Somchai Wongsawat told reporters after visiting his bedside.

"I learned that he was sick so I came to visit him," Somchai said.

"He thanked me but we did not talk much. I want him to fully rest," he added.

Samak, 73, was taken ill on Friday. His doctor did not reveal what food had caused his condition, which he said was not serious.

He said Samak would be discharged upon further health checks.

Samak was stripped of his premiership by the Constitutional Court in early September after it ruled he had violated the constitution by receiving payment to host two TV cooking shows.

It is the second bout of food poisoning Samak has had in the past six months.

On April 1 he was taken to hospital after suffering food poisoning during a regional summit in neighbouring Laos.

- AFP /ls