Thailand Cabinet on Tuesday, July 8, dropped a bill to legalize casino gambling. This proposal is the main project of the ruling Pheu Thai party, which recently faced turmoil after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office.
The “entertainment complex” bill is aimed at legalizing casinos and turn Thailand into a regional gambling hub so as to boost the struggling economy through tax. Currently, most forms of betting are illegal in the country, but Pheu Thai argued that the bill will help end the thriving of underground gambling industry by bringing it into the mainstream.
However, the party has a slim parliamentary majority after losing support from coalition partners due to the scandal surrounding the prime minister’s suspension.
The Cabinet decided to withdraw the bill, stating that it “needs more studies to understand its social context,” according to government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsab.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat expressed regret, saying, “It’s a shame the delay is a lost opportunity for the country.”
