Thai Parliament Moves Casino Law Discussion by One Month to Roughly August

Thailand’s push to legalise integrated entertainment complexes with casinos has hit a delay, with the bill’s formal reading in the lower house now expected to be postponed by around a month. The delay comes amid political shifts and continued public debate, though officials deny any direct link between the postponement and recent coalition tensions.

Good to know

• The casino bill reading in parliament has been pushed past the original July 9 date.
• Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai party is working with the Anti-Money Laundering Office on gambling safeguards.
• Political uncertainty, including a recent coalition exit, has stirred questions around the bill’s future.

The Bangkok Post reported that the first reading of a proposed bill to legalise casino-inclusive entertainment complexes will no longer take place on July 9 as planned. Citing Pheu Thai MP Danuporn Punnakanta, the outlet noted the reading will be delayed by roughly one month. Pheu Thai is one of the leading parties in Thailand’s ruling coalition.

According to Danuporn, the delay is not the result of internal political conflicts, despite the recent exit of the Bhumjaithai Party from the coalition. Instead, he stated that Pheu Thai is coordinating with Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office to introduce responsible gambling measures. The focus is on avoiding negative effects, such as gambling addiction, referencing regulatory frameworks used in places like Macau and Singapore.

The bill has attracted national attention, and some public resistance has taken form. A petition was filed with the Election Commission, calling for a national referendum on whether casinos should be legalised. Questions have also been raised about whether the timing of the bill was affected by a recently leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

In the phone call, Shinawatra appeared to criticise a Thai military officer over an incident from March involving border violence. The clash, which was also mentioned in a filing by Donaco International Ltd—a casino operator in Cambodia serving Thai customers—has stirred debate around national security and diplomacy. Critics argue the leak may have been politically motivated to undermine momentum behind casino legalisation.

On June 18, the Bhumjaithai Party, which held the second-highest number of seats in the coalition, withdrew from the government. It cited weak leadership on foreign affairs, specifically the handling of the Cambodia incident. The coalition still holds a narrow majority with 255 seats in the 495-member House of Representatives.

Despite the departure, Danuporn said that some Bhumjaithai MPs remain supportive of the casino bill. That includes those he spoke with directly, suggesting cross-party interest in pushing forward the legislation, even as the timeline becomes less certain.

Meanwhile, former MP Chuwit Kamolvisit suggested on social media that the leaked phone call may have been aimed at reducing the chances of casino legalisation. Cambodia, which already operates its own casino sector, regularly attracts players from countries like Thailand where casino gambling is still illegal.

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