MACAU BUSINESS
The rise and fall of Thailand’s Entertainment Complex bill
9 April 2024: Cabinet discusses the Entertainment Complex proposal. 4 June 2024: Ministry of Finance drafts the bill. 2–18 August 2024: Ministry of Finance holds public hearings. December 2024: Ministry of Finance submits the draft proposal to Cabinet.
13 January 2025: Cabinet approves the ‘principle’ of the draft. All eyes turn to Parliament, expected to vote on it in the spring.
28 March 2025: A Myanmar earthquake destroys the under-construction Thai State Audit Office. The parliamentary vote, scheduled for early April, is pushed back to May or June.
BEYOND GAMING: GEOPOLITICS AND FUTURE SCENARIOS Reflecting on the broader conflict, James Kaplan, board advisor to Bangkok Land Public Company – owner of IMPACT Arena in northern Bangkok – observed: “This conflict is tragic not only due to the needless loss of life but also for causing economic suffering for both Cambodians and Thais. The Entertainment Complex bill was not the catalyst to fuel the fighting even though some are pushing this narrative. The conflict instead is mired in Thai local politics, manifesting itself as a geopolitical existential threat.” Looking ahead to Q1 2026, the Senate’s vote left a narrow door open for reconsideration. It proposed studying “entertainment complexes without gaming” and suggested strict limits on Thai nationals’ entry. Earlier this year, one proposal required locals to prove they had at least US$1.5 million (50 million baht) in the bank before gaining access – an idea widely ridiculed by the industry. The Senate also called for a national referendum on casinos. One industry insider told Macau Business: “A national referendum? They have got to be kidding.”
28 May 2025: Cambodian and Thai soldiers engage in a brief 10-minute skirmish, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead. Tensions also flare over illegal border casinos and scam centres, raising political risks for the bill. Opposition leaders openly attack the proposal, while poorly received PR campaigns in May and June further sour public opinion.
18 June 2025: The ruling coalition of the Pheu Thai Party and the Bhumjaithai Party collapses after Cambodian leader Hun Sen releases audio of a 15 June private call with Prime Minister Paetongtarn, in which she calls him “Uncle” and criticises the Thai army. The incident throws the EC bill into further turmoil, with Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul speaking out more forcefully against it.
21–22 June 2025: Full border closures between Thailand and Cambodia take place amid coup rumours in Bangkok. Protests against Paetongtarn erupt on 29 June, pushing the bill further off the agenda until the July session.
1 July 2025: Paetongtarn is suspended over ethics violations linked to the Hun Sen call, and doubts grow over the bill’s future.
8 July 2025: The Thai Cabinet and Ministry of Finance formally withdraw the EC bill. Anutin and allied parties move to debate and defeat it. Deputy Finance Minister Julapon Amornvivat comments that it is not “the appropriate time” for the bill, adding: “It’s a shame. The delay is a lost opportunity for the country.”
24–27 July 2025: Following a Thai soldier stepping on a landmine, border clashes erupt between Thai and Cambodian forces, creating an international crisis. A ceasefire is reached under additional pressure from US tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s administration.
29 August 2025: Paetongtarn is ousted as Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, removing a major source of government support for the EC bill.
5 September 2025: Anutin assumes office as Prime Minister, vowing never to legalise gaming in the Kingdom. He declares that the country would have to “wait for another prime minister” for ECs with casinos.
24 September 2025: In a largely symbolic but politically charged move, the Thai Senate rejects the EC bill (even though it had already been withdrawn), citing concerns over money laundering, social harm, and reputational damage. However, it leaves the door open to studying ECs without casinos and calls for a national referendum.
Spintec qp CI
Jun25.indd 1
16/5/25 11:50
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