Protests expected near parliament as House debates “casino bill” tomorrow

Anti-casino groups plan to rally in front of parliament tomorrow against the entertainment complex bill, which is scheduled to be debated during a special House meeting.

In a Facebook post today, Phichit Chaimongkhon, leader of the network of students and people for national reform, urged members of the public to gather at their muster point at 8am, before marching to parliament at 9am.

Another fierce opponent of the bill, Dr. Warong Dechgitvigrom, chairman of the Thai Pakdee Party, said the hasty inclusion of the bill in the House agenda will draw people onto to the streets in protest.

Former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan urged protesters to wear white, as a symbol of protest against the Pheu Thai-led government.

He said that the government wants the bill to pass its first reading, before the Medical Council issues its conclusions on April 10th, regarding its findings on former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s suspicious illnesses and his stay at the Police General Hospital for six months, avoiding spending a single day of his then 8-year sentence in prison.

He also said that the government wants the bill pass its first reading before parliament goes into recess on April 11th.

The red-shirt leader accused the government of being more interested in getting the controversial bill through than the fate of 70 workers believed to be trapped under the rubble of the collapsed SAO building.

A Senate whip, Senator Pisit Apiwatthanapong, said today that the Senate plans to propose a motion next Tuesday, calling for the setting up of a panel to study on the impacts of a casino project in Thailand.

He claimed that most senators want a referendum on whether the Thai people actually want a casino in the country.