Senate committee to grill PM Paetongtarn on casino bill next week
Debate heats up as PM faces tough questions over controversial casino-entertainment proposal
The special Senate committee examining the government’s casino-entertainment complex bill plans to invite Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to elaborate on the bill’s rationale in the upcoming week.
The committee, led by Senator Veerapun Suvannamai, announced yesterday, May 7, that it will conduct its second meeting to review the project today. Despite media speculations, Dr Veerapun clarified that the Thai PM had not been invited to this particular meeting.
Confusion over the meeting’s agenda emerged, with Dr Veerapun expressing uncertainty about how details were leaked, noting the agenda had yet to be finalised.
Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul, acting as the committee’s spokesperson, confirmed that during their initial meeting on April 23, there was no decision to invite any “outsider” to their subsequent gathering.
Dr Veerapun mentioned that an outsider might be called to the meeting scheduled for May 15. This could include the prime minister or other relevant ministers to provide further insights into the casino-entertainment project.
Additionally, Dr Veerapun shared that today’s session aims to establish a study framework and form sub-committees. The project evaluation is anticipated to span 180 days.
Sources indicate the formation of at least two sub-committees, one focusing on economic impacts and another on social implications of the project.
The government has postponed the casino-entertainment complex bill to the next parliamentary session, commencing on July 2.
Initially slated for its first reading in the House of Representatives on April 9, the bill’s expedited process faced opposition. Critics have cautioned the government about potential ethics violations if they persist with the bill’s promotion, Bangkok Post reported.
Tourism operators raised concerns that the legalisation of casinos and online gambling in Thailand could lead to a significant decline in the Chinese tourism market. This issue was highlighted during a censure debate against the Thai PM.
The opposition People’s Party argued that legalising casinos was not part of the Pheu Thai Party’s campaign promises and warned that it could harm Thailand’s tourism sector.
They expressed fears that China might discourage its citizens from visiting Thailand due to the legalisation of gambling, potentially impacting the country’s key tourism industry.
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