BANGKOK, Thailand – Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul has called on the Thai government to permanently abandon its controversial plan to legalize entertainment complexes with casinos, revealing that China had already issued multiple warnings to Thai leadership against the policy — warnings which were ignored, he claims, resulting in a sharp drop in Chinese tourism.
In a strongly worded Facebook post, Anutin welcomed the House of Representatives’ decision to withdraw the Entertainment Complex Bill but demanded the government go further by formally scrapping the entire policy, with a clear commitment not to reintroduce it.
Anutin, who served as Minister of the Interior during previous discussions on the issue, said Chinese President Xi Jinping had personally raised objections with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during bilateral meetings, stressing that casinos would harm the image of Thailand as a tourist destination and lead to a cooling of Chinese tourism, trade, and investment. These warnings, he said, were ignored.
He blamed the mere consideration of the bill for what he described as the “disappearance of more than 90% of Chinese tourists” and devastating losses to Thailand’s tourism and hospitality sectors. From hotels and souvenir shops to street vendors, entire communities reliant on Chinese tourism are now suffering unprecedented hardship, he said.
Anutin also accused the government of pushing the casino policy for the benefit of a small group of investors, while the wider population — especially those in the service economy — face ruin. “This isn’t just about casinos; it’s about destroying livelihoods,” he wrote.
He urged the government to prioritize relationships with key economic partners like China, reminding parliament that “China and Thailand are like brothers.” If canceling the policy can help revive Chinese tourism and restore income for the Thai people, he said, then that must come first.
Finally, Anutin affirmed that although Bhumjaithai is now in the opposition, the party stands ready to support any government policy that truly benefits the country — and scrapping the Entertainment Complex initiative would be one such act. (TNA)
