Thailand May Withdraw Entertainment Complex Bill for Review

The Thai government is considering withdrawing its contentious Entertainment Complex Bill from the House agenda this week, a move that would give the new Cabinet more time to reassess the proposal and address public concerns. 

The House is scheduled to meet on July 9, when the bill was initially slated for discussion.

Growing Consensus to Pull the Bill 

Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat confirmed on Friday at a Press Council of Thailand forum that while the government believes it still has the numbers to push the bill through if needed, there is growing consensus that it should be pulled for now. 

This would allow the new ministers, appointed after the recent Cabinet reshuffle, to review the details thoroughly and ensure the coalition has the necessary support.

“The government is confident it has sufficient support to either delay deliberation or withdraw the bill for review,” Julapun said, as reported by The Bangkok Post. 

He also noted that more urgent matters, including Thailand’s ongoing border dispute with Cambodia, currently demand the government’s attention.

Easing the Pressure 

Julapun added that a full withdrawal, rather than a simple postponement, may also help ease pressure from both the opposition and the public, many of whom remain skeptical about the benefits of establishing entertainment complexes and pushing through with the casino momentum.

He acknowledged previous comments from government representatives highlighting the need for more time to educate the public about the concept and potential advantages of such projects.

The bill had originally been scheduled for discussion this Wednesday but was already pushed to the bottom of the agenda following the Bhumjaithai Party’s exit from the governing coalition.

On Thursday, the minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, Chousak Sirinil, told reporters the government was still deliberating whether to withdraw or simply postpone the bill. 

Approval from both the Cabinet and the House is technically required to withdraw it, he said, but if there are no objections raised in the House, the bill can be pulled immediately.

Chousak outlined the two main reasons for the possible withdrawal, with the first one being the fresh Cabinet reshuffle, which would require another debate on the matter “for further clarity”. 

The second reason would be the vote count the Cabinet is currently conducting “to assess if the necessary support is in place.”

Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri added that feedback from the public shows many still misunderstand what the entertainment complex entails. 

“Therefore, the government will hold further discussions within the House coordination committee on July 7,” she said, noting the issue was not raised at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting.