The controversial casino legalization bill in Thailand has been confirmed to be submitted to the parliament for voting on July 9, quickly becoming a political focus that shakes the core of the political arena.
Parit Wacharasindhu, a spokesperson for the People's Party and a listed MP, publicly warned that if the bill is forcibly pushed forward, it could directly undermine the foundation of the Padungtan government's rule, and even become a critical turning point in its term.
It is reported that the proposal bypassed the usual legislative process, lacking independent risk assessment and a complete regulatory framework, especially in terms of gambling addiction prevention and money laundering risk control, where there are obvious loopholes.
Moreover, opinions within the ruling coalition are divided, and the government maintains a slim majority in the parliament, leaving the push of the bill full of uncertainties.
Parit pointed out that there are roughly three possible paths for the current situation: the first is that the government insists on pushing the vote, which will inevitably lead to strong resistance from the People's Party; the second is to postpone the vote to reduce political impact; the third is to withdraw the bill and go through the complete legislative process again. He also criticized the government for not responding to the opposition's concerns about conducting feasibility studies, public risk assessments, and public consultations.
Analysts point out that the vote on July 9 not only concerns the direction of casino policy but is also a concentrated test of the government's legislative capabilities and political control. Current public opinion is highly focused, and the industry and capital markets are watching nervously. If the government mishandles this, the Thai political arena may face an unresolved political storm.
