PPRP opposes casino legalisation, fears national harm
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) announced its opposition to the government’s proposed bill on entertainment complexes, which aims to legalise casino gambling.
The party argues that the legalisation of casinos could negatively impact Thailand and its citizens, while the bill disproportionately empowers the prime minister.
The party plans to address the casino issue during the no-confidence debate it intends to launch against the government next month. Chaimongkol Chairop, deputy leader of the PPRP, expressed concerns that decriminalising gambling could endanger the nation and lead to increased corruption.
Chaimongkol questioned whether the government could not find alternative ways to generate revenue without resorting to a policy that might compromise the nation’s integrity.
He stated that casinos would not improve the lives of Thai citizens and would only benefit those who operate them.
The PPRP deputy leader also highlighted the contradiction in the government’s stance, which initially focused on enhancing Thailand’s soft power but now appears to be prioritising casino legalisation.
Despite reassurances from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and other officials that casinos would constitute only 10% of each entertainment complex, Chaimongkol warned that even this small percentage could pose significant risks to the country.
Unlike other countries where casinos are relegated to rural areas, the proposed Thai casinos would be situated in major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Bangkok.
The government argues that these entertainment complexes could boost sustainable tourism but ML Kornkasiwat Kasemsri, an executive member of Palang Pracharath, dismissed this claim as misleading, reported Bangkok Post.
Kornkasiwat warned that legalising casinos could exacerbate gambling addiction, increase crime rates, and ultimately harm rather than benefit the country’s tourism industry.
He also raised concerns about Section 15 of the bill, which grants extensive authority to the committee overseeing the entertainment complex project, chaired by the prime minister.
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