A special committee in Thailand’s Senate will begin examining the proposed entertainment complex bill on April 23, as reported by the Bangkok Post on Monday. The bill, which includes provisions for legalising casinos within larger entertainment complexes, has been delayed but remains on the government’s agenda.
Good to know
- A Senate panel will begin studying the entertainment complex bill on April 23.
- The bill includes casino legalisation as part of broader entertainment zones.
- Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra believes the bill still has enough support to pass.
The 35-member committee was originally formed following a proposal from Senator Sorachat Wichaya Suwanphrom. However, that number has been reduced to 34 after Senator Premsak Piayura reportedly stepped down. During the first meeting, members will appoint key roles, define the scope of their study, and choose a replacement for Dr. Premsak. The review process is expected to last 180 days and includes 12 external experts.
Meanwhile, despite growing protests and pushback from several groups, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra remains confident the bill will pass in the House of Representatives. He stated that support from coalition parties is still strong enough to carry the measure through.
Initially, the government aimed to advance the bill during the last parliamentary session, with a vote planned just a day before the session ended. However, amid rising public opposition and competing priorities—such as trade tensions with the United States—the plan was pulled back. The bill will now be revisited in the next session, set to begin in two months.
Thaksin, who is widely seen as an influential figure in the ruling Pheu Thai Party, dismissed claims that the bill is focused solely on casino legalisation. He argued that critics were misrepresenting the proposal and misleading the public.
“It might be a little slower, but when it is time for the prime minister to make decisions, she will do it,” Thaksin said on Sunday. He added that recent disagreements among coalition members were not serious enough to derail the proposal’s progress.
He also addressed concerns raised by the Senate, noting that the upper chamber’s reservations were separate from the government’s main line of support. “That will be alright. And the Senate’s objections to the bill are its problem, not ours,” he said. Thaksin further stressed the importance of listening to public feedback to ensure wider understanding and acceptance of the bill’s intentions.
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