Thailand’s civic groups and the opposition People’s Party have urged the government to withdraw two controversial bills aimed at legalizing casino-entertainment complexes and amending gambling laws to allow online betting, as political instability continues to grip the country.
According to the Bangkok Post, People’s Party MP and spokesman Parit Wacharasindhu noted that the opposition maintains that if the government genuinely considered concerns raised by opposition parties and segments of the public, it should withdraw the bill entirely.
He criticized the government for prioritizing the casino-entertainment complex bill while failing to address pressing national concerns. He suggested that pushing the bill could serve as a test of the government’s fragile parliamentary support.
The protest, led by Thanakorn Khomkrit, secretary-general of the Stop Gambling Foundation, took place outside Government House on Wednesday. Demonstrators submitted a petition to suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who also leads the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The petition was received by Sompas Nilphan, an adviser to the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Tuesday, citing her dishonesty and violation of constitutional ethics.
The suspension poses challenges for Thailand’s gaming sector, as Paetongtarn and the Pheu Thai Party had been driving forces behind efforts to legalize and regulate the industry. With her suspension, progress on the gaming framework is expected to stall further, with discussions now tentatively delayed until August, deepening uncertainty over regulatory reforms.
Thanakorn argued that the bills could fuel social division and distract from more pressing issues including economic challenges, environmental crises, and political instability. He suggested that withdrawing the measures would help restore public confidence and prevent long-term social consequences.
The opposition leader called for the Pheu Thai Party to include these policies in their election platform if they believed them to be truly important, allowing the public to decide through democratic processes.
Public health advocate Vasin Pipattanachat raised concerns about the management structure of proposed entertainment complexes, noting the absence of mechanisms for social accountability or provisions to mitigate potential harm to communities. He questioned how the executive and office would operate without proper oversight.
Community leader Naiyana Yonjorhor expressed fears that legalized gambling would worsen household debt and domestic violence, particularly affecting low-income communities. She emphasized that gambling addiction typically affects household heads, causing suffering for entire families.
