Thailand delays casino bill framed as lifeline amid US tariffs

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, is throwing his weight behind the much-debated Entertainment Complex bill, framing it as a key move to help boost the economy, especially now that the US has slapped higher tariffs on Thai exports.

But despite his strong support, the Thai government hit the pause button on a planned parliamentary debate about the bill, which includes a push to legalize casinos. That discussion was originally set for Wednesday (Apr. 9) but has been temporarily shelved.

According to the Bangkok Post, Phumtham stated that the main goal of the Entertainment Complex bill is to boost national revenue by creating integrated entertainment zones that would include casinos. He argued these casino projects are a strategic response to the sharp 36% increase in US tariffs on Thailand’s exports, which is more than three times the 10% rate imposed by Singapore.

“This isn’t about encouraging gambling—it’s about economic survival,” Phumtham said, stressing that the bill isn’t meant to promote gambling culture, but rather to strengthen Thailand’s financial stability during tough times. The Thai Examiner reports that the country stands to lose up to $15 billion per year, which means “any hope of meaningful economic or GDP growth in 2025 may be dashed”.

Phumtham referenced findings from a recent government-led public consultation, which took place from February 28 to March 14 and drew participation from over 70,000 people. According to him, about 80% of those who took part voiced their support for the bill.

That said, former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakor has raised concerns about the reliability of the FPO poll. He pointed out that out of the 71,303 respondents, around 57,500 gave nearly identical answers, with 80.6% to 80.75% saying “yes” to each of the eight questions, which is an unusually consistent result that he believes warrants a closer look.

However, in a statement shared by Thai media on Tuesday (Apr. 8), Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the government had to shift its focus to more pressing issues, such as the spike in tariffs and recovery efforts after last month’s earthquake along the Myanmar-Thai border.

The first reading of the casino bill has now been pushed to the next parliamentary session in July. If it passes, the current version of the bill would allow for the opening of five casinos in key areas like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.

In terms of benefits, the Thai government expects that opening local casinos could create around 20,000 jobs and inject billions of baht into the economy.

The government and Phumtham acknowledged the concerns raised by critics but maintained that the matter should be resolved through proper legislative debate.

He said: “Opposition voices are important.

“But the bill’s fate should be determined through democratic processes in parliament rather than street protests.”

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