People’s party demands Entertainment Complex bill’s withdrawal

The opposition People’s party has demanded the government to withdraw the Entertainment Complex bill, which is due to be debated in the House on July 9.

The party has also renewed its call for acting prime minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit to dissolve the House, to pave the way for a general election.

People’s party MP Parit Wacharasindhu said today that the government did not strike the Entertainment Complex bill from the Cabinet’s agenda on Tuesday, signaling that it is determined to push the bill through the parliament.

He said that the party rejects the bill on the grounds that there has been no comprehensive study of the economic benefits from casinos, their impacts on money laundering activities or the gambling behavior of Thai people.

Since the government will not back down on the bill, he said that the opposition parties, including the Bhumjaithai, will vote it down.

Parit dismissed the allegation, by Jatuporn Prompan, a leader of the Ruam Palang Paendin protest group, that the People’s party is a “reluctant” opposition party, claiming that they have deployed all parliamentary channels to check the government’s performance, such as submission of interpellations and initiating a censure debate.