Former prime minister of Thailand shares confidence casino bill will move forward

The Thai casino bill continues to be a hot topic, as the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has shared confidence that it’ll pass through the House of Representatives.

The bill was supposed to be discussed in a first reading last Wednesday (April 9) but this was pushed back as it was stated that more pressing issues had come up.

At the time, the US tariffs were being declared and protests were continuing to take place against the bill.

In a statement shared by Thai media on Tuesday, it was said the government had to shift its focus to the tariffs and recovery efforts after last month’s earthquake along the Myanmar-Thai border.

Although the bill has been pushed back, Bangkok Post is reporting that the former prime minister was asked to what extent the current political situation had stalled the plans.

“That’s fine. It might be little slower but when it is time for the prime minister to make decisions, she will do it,” Thaskin is reported as saying on Sunday.

He also suggested misunderstandings amongst some coalition parties over the bill wouldn’t be serious enough for it to become a setback.

“That will be alright. And the Senate’s objections to the bill are its problem [not ours], as this government has in hand enough support [from government MPs],” he said. “However, it’s also important for the government to listen carefully to the public to ensure most people really have no problem with the bill.”

The bill still needs to be discussed in Parliament and if it is passed, it’ll then go to a 31-person committee which will review the bill further.

The topic has been a contentious one so far, with a number of protestors having descended on parliament. Most cases of gambling are currently outlawed in the country, with only the lottery and horse racing being permitted.

If approved, the Thai casino bill would allow for the development of casinos in Thailand.

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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