【By Observer Net, Xiong Chaoran】On July 9 local time, the Thai House of Representatives passed a vote to withdraw the bill legalizing casinos and entertainment venues with 253 votes in favor and 65 votes against.

According to a report by The Bangkok Post on the same day, the leader of the People's Power Party (Pheu Thai), Anutin Charnvirakul, blamed the sharp decline in the number of Chinese tourists and the losses suffered by Thailand's tourism industry on the government led by Pheu Thai for ignoring China's repeated suggestions that Thailand should not implement the policy of legalizing casinos. He wrote on Facebook that the legalization of casinos and entertainment venues was one of the triggers for the People's Power Party's forced withdrawal from the ruling coalition, and he said he had previously supported it only because he was a member of the ruling coalition.

Responding to Anutin's accusations, who was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior in the previous government, the suspended Thai Prime Minister and current Minister of Culture, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, stated that during her visit to China, China had only made recommendations regarding Thailand's policy of developing entertainment complexes including legal casinos, and she was unaware that China had repeatedly opposed it. She claimed that Chinese tourists were unwilling to go to Thailand due to "safety concerns" rather than "casino issues".

Anutin and Paetongtarn Bloomberg

On July 9, the Thai House of Representatives held a meeting to vote on the agenda to withdraw the revised draft of the "Comprehensive Entertainment Venue Law." Among the 318 attending members, 253 voted in favor of withdrawing, and 65 voted against, smoothly passing the agenda to withdraw the draft.

Last month, after the leak of a phone conversation between Paetongtarn and former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sparked controversy, the People's Power Party announced its withdrawal from the ruling coalition, thus becoming an opposition party.

Anutin wrote on Facebook that in February, during Paetongtarn's visit to China, China had urged Thailand three times to abandon the bill legalizing casinos and entertainment venues. He said that at the time, he was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, so he also attended the relevant meetings.

He believed that although China could not dictate Thailand's policies, ignoring these clear warnings was not wise. Afterward, the Thai government seemed not to take China's opinions seriously and hastily made this bill the top agenda for the current lower house, which was undoubtedly the reason for the sharp decline in the number of Chinese tourists coming to Thailand.

Anutin said that the government's responsibility is to ensure the safety of the Thai people and create income, not to serve a small group of investors compared to the Thai population.

Now, although the bill has been withdrawn, Anutin believes it is "too late." He believes that without a clear commitment to permanently abandon the casino plan, withdrawing the bill will not help restore confidence or compensate for the losses already incurred.

Anutin also called on the Thai government to prioritize long-term economic partnerships, especially with China. "If canceling the bill helps revive Chinese tourists and investments in Thailand, then this must be the top priority," he also wrote: "We should pay more attention to the opinions and attitudes of countries that have a good attitude towards us and continue to build good relations. There is a saying that 'Sino-Thai are not strangers, but brothers.'"

Paradorn Prissananantakul, a member of the People's Power Party, also demanded the government to completely abolish the bill instead of merely suspending its progress in the House. He said that China does not encourage its citizens to invest in or participate in gambling overseas, which has led to a decrease in the number of Chinese tourists coming to Thailand.

In November 2023, Thai police raided an illegal casino inside a hotel in Nonthaburi Province. The Bangkok Post

On the other hand, Paetongtarn responded to Anutin on July 9 local time, stating that during her visit to China, she told the Chinese that the casinos would account for only 10% of the building area of entertainment venues in Thailand. She also claimed that the drop in the number of Chinese tourists was due to safety concerns, which was an issue under the Ministry of Interior, and she suspected whether Anutin, as the former Minister of Interior, had forgotten this.

On January 13, the then Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn stated that the Thai Cabinet had approved the draft of the "Entertainment Venue Operation Act" proposed by the Thai Ministry of Finance. The bill aims to legalize Thailand's underground gambling industry and allow the establishment of entertainment complexes and casinos to generate tax revenue. Paetongtarn said that the Thai government hoped the project would stimulate the country's tourism, economy, and employment.

Paetongtarn argued that neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, and Myanmar have benefited from large-scale gambling complexes, and the absence of legal casinos means Thailand has given up this source of income and cannot fully realize its tourism potential.

Paetongtarn added that Singapore also implemented a similar project, where casinos accounted for only 10% of the business, yet it greatly promoted tourism and economic growth. Paetongtarn said she hoped this project would have a similar impact on Thailand's economy.

Regarding concerns about possible increases in illegal or gray industries in Thailand, Paetongtarn said that if everything was transparent, this (the "Entertainment Venue Operation Act") would benefit the country, and the increased tax revenue would provide additional income for the nation.

According to Thai media, as of now, casinos and most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand. The Thai authorities previously only allowed certain types of gambling, such as horse racing and official lotteries controlled by the state. However, football betting, underground games, and lotteries known as "gray industries" are widespread.

Additionally, it is worth noting that Paetongtarn's father, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin, has long been a proponent of legalizing gambling. On February 6, during her visit to China, Paetongtarn said she hoped Chinese friends would feel at home when coming to Thailand. As a Thai Prime Minister with Chinese heritage, Paetongtarn assured everyone that Chinese friends would be very safe in Thailand.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7525324360354136628/

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