Fury on the streets: Protesters clash with govt over casino bill
Angry protesters stormed the Finance Ministry yesterday, demanding the government scrap its controversial plan to legalise casinos.
The demonstration, led by three hardline groups, accused Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat of backing a bill that, they claim, will open the floodgates for Thai gamblers rather than targeting foreign tourists.
The Network of Students and People for Thailand’s Reform, the Dharma Army, and the Centre of People for Monarchy Protection spearheaded the rally, having camped outside Government House since Sunday in a vow to fight the bill.
Undeterred by the lack of response, they escalated their campaign by taking their grievances directly to the ministry, the key agency pushing for the bill’s passage.
Their main demand? A complete halt to the entertainment complex bill, which aims to legalise casinos in Thailand.
Julapun became the prime target of the protesters’ ire, as he had been tasked with drafting the bill. They accused him of disregarding safeguards that would have limited Thai citizens’ access to casinos, particularly the Council of State’s recommendation requiring Thai patrons to hold a minimum bank balance of 50 million baht.
“Julapun claimed these casinos were for foreign tourists, but by scrapping the financial restriction, it’s clear this government is just using tourists as an excuse to legalise gambling for Thais,” one protest leader declared.
The demonstration was also a platform for another long-standing grievance. The groups called on the Finance Ministry to respond to their demand, first submitted on March 27 last year, to seize 46 billion baht in assets from former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They blamed Thaksin for past policies that, they argue, inflicted severe damage on the country.
As tensions flared, Sikharin Limnijsorakul, a senior aide to Julapun, emerged to accept the protesters’ letter of opposition. However, the move did little to quell the anger on the streets, reported The Nation.
With no sign of compromise, the battle over the casino bill is far from over, and protesters have vowed to keep up the pressure until the government backs down.
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