Critics of the casino and entertainment complex bill have vowed to step up their protests, following the cabinet's decision to approve the controversial bill on Thursday.
As the cabinet gathered to discuss the bill on Thursday, a group of about 80 protesters gathered in front of Government House to protest against the bill. They were part of different groups opposed to the bill, including the Network of Students and People for Thailand's Reform, the Centre of People for the Protection of the Monarchy and the Dharma Army.
One of the protest leaders, Pichit Chaimongkol, said the cabinet is effectively forcing the public to accept the bill despite mounting opposition against the move.
Mr Pichit then questioned why the cabinet was so keen to pass the Casino and Entertainment Complex Bill when it wasn't even listed in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's policy statement given to parliament.
"The promotion of vices is tantamount to tempting people to take the wrong direction [in life], which is the opposite [of the government's pledge] to improve the people's quality of life and well-being," he said.
Meanwhile, Parit Wacharasindhu, a People's Party (PP) MP, said that the rush to pass the bill despite warnings from critics suggested the government may have a "hidden agenda".
"Even though the casino-entertainment complex project was not one of the pledges made by Pheu Thai in the 2023 election, the government is ready to push it through regardless of the negative consequences," he said, noting the bill wasn't backed by proper data and studies.
He also said the government has yet to adequately explain how the bill will benefit the country, nor has it assured the public that the bill won't give rise to other problems, such as corruption.
Protesters rally against the casino and entertainment complex bill outside Government House. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)
Chittawan Chanagul, an academic at Kasetsart University's faculty of economics, also spoke out against the cabinet's decision to approve the bill, saying the government has paid little attention to people's concerns over the potential negative consequences of casinos.
The cabinet on Thursday approved the Casino and Entertainment Complex Bill, which is part of the government's push to attract more tourists and create a legal gaming industry.
Under the bill, Thai punters must pay an entry fee of 5,000 baht and show proof that they have at least 50 million baht in bank deposits to enter a casino.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat had earlier said that the asset requirement for Thai nationals will probably be scrapped because it would exclude too many people.
He said officials decided to submit the draft in its current form and deal with possible amendments later.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that the details of the bill were not set in stone, as parliament has the final say.
The bill will now be tabled to the House of Representatives. If it passes, it will also need to be endorsed by the Senate and His Majesty the King before coming into effect.
Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said more public hearings will be organised in areas where casinos would be built. He assured the people that compensation would be paid for any negative impacts from the casinos.
Casino operators will be prohibited from linking gambling at casinos to any computer system and broadcasting gaming activities at their venues. They will also be subject to the anti-money laundering law, he said.
The government expects to attract at least 100 billion baht in new investment in casinos and entertainment complexes and sees an annual increase in foreign arrivals by 5-10%.
Mr Jirayu said that about 80% of the 71,300 respondents polled during an online public hearing conducted from Feb 28 to March 14 expressed support for the bill.
However, a recent opinion poll showed that a majority of people are worried about the negative effects of gambling.
The PP also pointed out that legalising gambling could backfire on tourism if China ends up discouraging its citizens from visiting Thailand as a result.
