During a sideline bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reaffirmed his strong opposition to gambling and vowed to halt any initiatives aimed at legalizing casinos in Thailand.

Thai PM Anutin Reassures President Xi of Thailand’s New Stance on Casinos

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has returned from a key diplomatic mission, announcing that Thailand is poised to become the region’s economic hub following successful engagements at the ASEAN Summit and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. He emphasized that the agreements reached will lead to tangible economic opportunities and increased income for the Thai people.

However, during one of the talks with President Xi, Anutin doubled down on the “no casino” policy in the country, the reasons for this being largely economic and political, it seems. Former Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s proposal to legalize casinos met resistance from China, which expressed concern that such a move could reduce tourism to Macau and resort destinations on the mainland. China allows casino operations only in Macau, one of its two Special Administrative Regions.

China is Thailand’s largest trading partner, while Thailand ranks among the top sources of tourists to China. With a population of around 72 million, Thailand counts China as a premier travel destination, with Macau standing out as one of the most popular spots. The flight from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, to Asia’s casino capital takes less than three hours.

New Gambling Direction Is Crucial in Anutin’s New Government

While the talks with Chinese President Xi saw Anutin reaffirm his stance on gambling in Thailand, the Thai prime minister has repeatedly said this is a part of his policies since he was elected earlier this summer. In early September, Anutin said that any plans to legalize casino resorts were being put on hold indefinitely.

Anutin came to power on September 3^rd after Former Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed from office after a leaked phone call revealed her criticizing the Thai military in a conversation with Hun Sen, Cambodia’s Senate president and former prime minister. He is now the ruling party in the National Assembly, while Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party has been relegated to the opposition.

Anutin announced that the gaming bills proposed by the Pheu Thai Party, which aimed to authorize up to five casino resorts, including two in Bangkok and one each in Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, have been shelved. According to The Nation, Anutin stated after his meeting with XI that there are other ways to strengthen Thailand’s economy by drawing on the abilities of the Thai people, as well as Thai products and technology.