Anutin’s Election Signals the End of Thai Casino Plans

(AsiaGameHub) –   On Thursday, Thailand’s House of Representatives voted to appoint Anutin Charnvirakul as the kingdom’s 32nd prime minister, following his victory in the February general election. The leader of the Bhumjaithai Party secured 293 votes, comfortably beating People’s Party candidate Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, who received 119 votes.

Anutin first took office on an interim basis last September, after former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was ousted over ethics charges. His return dashes hopes for reviving the Integrated Entertainment Business Act, a policy his predecessor had vigorously advanced.

Paetongtarn and her father, Thaksin Shinawatra — a prominent Thai power broker and former prime minister — viewed casinos as a way to boost post-Covid tourism, attract foreign investment, and create jobs. Her administration planned five casinos in the first wave of development: two in the capital city of Bangkok, plus one each in Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.

The call that killed the IR bill

This plan fell apart after Paetongtarn called Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to discuss a deadly border skirmish between the two nations. The 17-minute call, which was later leaked to the public, saw her criticize her own country’s military and address Hun Sen as “uncle”. She stated, “If you want anything, just tell me, and I’ll take care of it.”

The call sparked nationwide public outrage. Thousands of protesters gathered at Bangkok’s Government House to demand Paetongtarn’s resignation. Her approval rating dropped to a flat 9.2%, and within months she was removed from office, with Anutin taking her place.

From the outset, the new prime minister declared that Thailand would have to “wait for another prime minister” to see legal casinos established. Unlike supporters of the IR bill, he argued that legal gaming would actually hinder Thailand’s primary tourism market: China.

During a November 2025 meeting with Xi Jinping, he assured the Chinese president that the casino plan would be off the table for as long as he held office. In return, Xi pledged to support increased visitation to Thailand by Chinese travelers.

Support for Thailand casinos seen as ‘political suicide’

Lured by the potential THB263 billion ($8 billion) market, the world’s top gaming operators had been poised to submit bids for Thai casino licenses. The list included all six Macau concessionaires: SJM, Melco, Galaxy, MGM Resorts, Wynn, and Las Vegas Sands. At least one of these firms, Melco, had opened a Bangkok office to prepare its bid campaign.

Others were more skeptical. In mid-2025, Hard Rock Chairman Jim Allen shared that his company had “zero interest” in a Thailand integrated resort due to “instability”.

Macau gaming consultant Ben Lee shares this perspective. The managing partner of IGamix told iGB, “The Thai gaming initiative is dead in the water for now. The longstanding social antipathy toward gaming among this predominantly Buddhist citizenry has not only persisted, but made backing the issue politically suicidal.”