Despite Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissing a petition against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, gaming expert Daniel Cheng notes that casino investors will have to remain cautious as they await further steps by the current Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Speaking to AGB, Cheng highlighted that the court’s ruling to reject the petition, which alleged government interference, has “wider implications of the weakening influence of loyalists in the old political establishment. The powerful top court, often viewed as a branch of the previous government, seems to have diminished in its role of furthering political objectives.” He added, “However, the old guard may still have a card to play through the Election Commission, which continues to pursue investigations.”
Cheng emphasized that the primary challenge facing Prime Minister Paetongtarn is the potential destabilization of her government, a risk that could derail her policy agenda. He compared it to the setbacks that disrupted casino legislation efforts in Japan.
“Until that risk is mitigated, casino investors will need to remain patient, awaiting a clearer path for the Paetongtarn government to advance its goal of passing the entertainment complex legislation by mid-next year,” Cheng explained.
According to the Bangkok Post, Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed a petition claiming that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party sought to undermine the country’s democratic system, specifically by challenging the monarchy’s role as head of state.
The decision, made on Friday, removes part of a political hurdle for the Thai government’s efforts to push forward with legislation related to casinos.
The court found insufficient evidence to support five of the six allegations, with the remaining claim rejected by a 7-2 vote. The Attorney General’s Office also sided with the court, concluding that the actions described did not meet the criteria for regime change.
The petition, filed by lawyer Teerayut Suwankesorn, accused Thaksin of attempting to undermine the monarchy and exert influence over the Pheu Thai Party for personal gain. However, all nine judges on the Constitutional Court agreed that the petition did not meet the required conditions for consideration.
Thaksin, the father of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has consistently denied exerting influence over Pheu Thai since his return from 15 years of self-imposed exile in 2023.
Currently, the draft law on entertainment complexes in Thailand is expected to be submitted to the cabinet for consideration later this year, with further deliberation in Parliament expected in the first half of 2025.
According to a prediction made by Maybank in the first half of this year, Thailand could see its first entertainment complexes by 2029.
