Bangkok, at 10:00 AM on March 6th, 2025, — The Students’ and People’s Network for Thailand’s Reform (STR) and allied groups gathered outside the Finance Ministry to submit a letter opposing the proposed casino policy under the Entertainment Complex Bill.
In the afternoon, Finance Ministry officials invited representatives to meet with Acting Ministerial Office Chief Sikarin Limnitsakul to formally receive the letter. The document criticized the ministry’s role in pushing forward casino policies despite widespread opposition from youth, academics, and religious leaders.
The protesters accused Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat of contradicting his initial claim that casinos were meant for foreign tourists. Instead, the government revised entry rules to allow Thais easier access, shifting the requirement from a 50-million-baht bank balance to simply proving three years of tax payments.
The groups warned that the policy could open doors for illicit activities and vowed to oppose any form of legalized gambling in Thailand.
