April 4, 2025
BANGKOK – Hundreds of protesters, led by three major groups, marched to Parliament on Thursday morning to demand that MPs reject a government bill seeking to legalise casinos in Thailand.
Protesters Demand Complete Rejection of Casino Bill
The demonstration was led by the Student and People Network for Thailand Reform (SNT), the People’s Centre to Protect the Monarchy, and the Dharmma Army. Protesters rallied outside Parliament for three hours before Deputy House Speaker Pichet Chuamuangphan received their letter of demand. He assured them that the bill would not be included on the House agenda on Thursday or Friday.
However, protest leaders vowed to continue their demonstration until the bill was fully rejected by the House.
They argued that, despite being titled a bill for “comprehensive entertainment complexes”, its true purpose was to legalise casinos, which they said contradicts the teachings of all major religions—including Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.
Protesters March from Government House to Parliament
Before arriving at Parliament, around 400 protesters gathered in front of Government House at 7:45 am.
The procession was led by:
- Pichit Chaimongkol (SNT leader)
- Warong Dechgitvigrom (Thai Pakdee Party leader)
- Jatuporn Promphan (former red-shirt leader turned critic of the Pheu Thai Party and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra)
The group assembled near Chamai Maruchet Bridge, with security guards and a sound truck leading the march.
At 8 am, Dusit police station deployed 54 crowd-control officers, equipped with batons and shields, to block Phitsanulok Road near the bridge.
By 8:30 am, the procession moved along Rama V Road, passing Ratchawithi Road and Samsen Road, before reaching a side entrance to Parliament, where leaders delivered speeches against the bill.
Protest Leaders Criticise Government Over Casino Bill
Pichit Chaimongkol:
Pichit accused the government of ignoring public opposition to the bill. He stated that protesters came to Parliament to demand House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor Matha reject the bill outright and prevent it from being added to the House agenda.
He urged Wan Noor to consider religious concerns, stating that no faith endorses gambling or the establishment of casinos.
Warong Dechgitvigrom:
Warong criticised the government’s use of opinion polls to justify the bill, claiming that officials cited a survey where 57,000 out of 80,000 people supported the proposal.
To counter this, his group has collected 100,000 signatures opposing the bill.
Jatuporn Promphan:
Jatuporn warned that if Wan Noor allowed the bill to be debated and approved, he would face backlash from Muslim communities, particularly in the southern border provinces that elected him.
“Why does the Prime Minister want to be the chief of gambling dens now?” Jatuporn asked.
He added that the House Speaker’s assurance that the bill was not yet on the agenda was insufficient, insisting that protesters wanted the bill permanently rejected.