Thailand to delay Entertainment Complex casino bill as political turmoil halts key legislation

Thailand’s Pheu Thai-led government has decided to delay its flagship Entertainment Complex project as political uncertainty spreads after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended by a court order.

The government had been moving ahead with a draft law called the Comprehensive Entertainment Business Act. This legislation would have cleared the way for creating integrated entertainment zones. It had already passed public hearings, gone through the Council of State’s scrutiny, and was ready for parliamentary debate.

But everything changed when the Constitutional Court ordered Paetongtarn to step aside on July 1, 2025. The suspension came as the court looks into a leaked audio recording of her talking with Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen.

The Thai government will decide Monday whether to withdraw the controversial casino-entertainment complex bill from the House agenda. The move follows cabinet reshuffles and rising public opposition. Lawmakers are debating transparency, land use, and financial implications. The… pic.twitter.com/C3eJt0yNAT

— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) July 4, 2025

According to a government source, the ruling coalition’s whip will meet on July 7 to discuss whether to withdraw or delay the bill. The Cabinet is set to review the issue on July 8. Since the bill had already cleared several approval stages, any decision to shelve it will have to be formally reported.

“The decision to postpone or withdraw requires a majority vote from MPs. We must be confident in our numbers.” – Julapun Amornvivat, Thailand’s Deputy Finance Minister

Thai news outlet Thansettakij reported that Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat stated that the government whip is now seriously deliberating whether to “postpone or withdraw” the draft law. A clearer decision is expected next week after the meeting on July 7.

He said the delay is meant to give the incoming Cabinet, which is expected to have 14 to 15 new ministers, the chance to decide on the politically sensitive legislation.

Julapun explained that if the bill is withdrawn, it would have to go back to the Cabinet for approval before being sent to Parliament again. If it’s only postponed, then Parliament will decide what happens next. The bill is set to be the first item on the agenda when Parliament reconvenes on July 9.

“The decision to postpone or withdraw requires a majority vote from MPs. We must be confident in our numbers. If we do not have a majority, even postponement or withdrawal is impossible. Nonetheless, we are confident in our support. Should an unexpected shortfall occur, we will proceed according to procedural mechanisms,” Julapun said.

Analysts are warning that the delay could shake investor confidence, especially among those preparing for large-scale projects in the planned entertainment zones. These zones were expected to attract significant foreign investment. Some have even compared the situation to past delays in Thailand’s high-speed rail network.

Julapun noted that investors have projected about 200 billion baht ($6.1 billion) in inflows, which is double the government’s original estimate of 100 billion baht ($3.1 billion). However, the country’s top bank, Maybank, found it could generate over $8 billion a year.

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