Thai lawmakers withdraw casino bill, citing Cabinet review and public clarification needs

Thailand’s proposed casino legislation has been formally withdrawn from the House agenda following a vote on Wednesday, effectively ending its consideration during the current session.

The decision came after approximately two hours of deliberation. A total of 253 members voted in favor of withdrawing the Entertainment Complex Bill, while 65 opposed the motion. The vote means the bill is no longer under active consideration and may be reviewed for potential reintroduction in a future session.

The move allows the newly appointed Cabinet to review the proposed bill and prepare additional public education initiatives. Lawmakers supporting the withdrawal cited the need to clarify the concept of an “entertainment complex” to the public and assess its potential implications more thoroughly.

Members of the opposition People’s Party, including party spokesperson Parit Wacharasindhu, voted against the bill’s removal from the agenda. Parit, who participated in the Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable (TECR) held in Bangkok last month, reiterated concerns about the government’s economic projections tied to the development of entertainment complexes.

During Wednesday’s debate, Parit said he remained skeptical of revenue estimates and questioned the expected number of domestic patrons. He cited input from international casino operators at TECR, who stated that allowing local residents to participate in gambling activities would be essential for the financial viability of such venues.

Parit’s opposition to the withdrawal is understood to be an attempt to allow the bill to proceed to a vote, where he expected it to be rejected outright.

With the legislation withdrawn, it is currently unclear if or when a revised version of the casino bill will return to the House floor. Government officials have not issued a timeline for potential reintroduction or indicated whether any amendments will be made in response to the concerns raised during TECR or Wednesday’s debate.