By Thai Newsroom Reporters
GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION to open casinos under the name of entertainment complex projects should be indefinitely withdrawn from the House of Representatives in regard to criticisms expressed by members of the public and current unfavourable environment of the legislative branch, according to chief government whip Wisut Chaiyanarun.
The controversial legislation, currently slated among top items of the House agenda, could be pulled out and kept from House deliberation until the Pheu Thai-led government has managed to give more unambiguous explanations about it to the public, the chief government whip suggested.
Speculated to locate casinos in Thailand are those major tourist spots such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Phuket and Bangkok.
Wisut declined to say how soon the casino bill could probably be returned to the legislative branch but confirmed that he had consulted Prime Minister’s Office Minister Chusak Sirinil who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs over the probability that it may be indefinitely withdrawn from the House instead of being postponed for a week or two, given the fact that the current Pheu Thai-led coalition government is evidently supported by a meagre majority of lawmakers following last month’s withdrawal of the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob from the coalition.
However, he did not either confirm or deny speculation that such a disputable legislation would not pass through its initial stage of principle-approval, let alone the House’s scrutiny process and final approval of the bill, before it could be otherwise forwarded to senators, most of who are known to be ultimately stalwart and supportive to the Bhumjaithai, now part of the opposition bloc.
The casino bill, quietly pushed by the court-suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s father/de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, has been largely anticipated by critics to generate tremendous gains for those who may be involved, either legally or illegally, in the granting of licences to domestic and foreign casino operators whilst transnational, money-laundering rackets could probably thrive at such mega-billion businesses.
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Top and Front Page: Gambling at casinos. Photos: Thai Rath
Insert: Chief government whip Wisut Chaiyanarun. Photo: Naewna
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