Thailand has abandoned a plan to allow legal casino gambling, blaming the current political crisis in the country.
The move comes after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office.
The casino bill is a major policy project for the Pheu Thai Party but it conceded it is "not the appropriate time" to proceed with it, said Julapun Amornvivat, the deputy finance minister.
“It’s a shame; the delay is a lost opportunity for the country,” he said.
Our Thai correspondent had long predicted that the casino plan would not go ahead, citing the money made by influential businessmen in the illegal casino industry.
He said it would "dilute the profits made in illegal casinos".
The Prime Minister is in trouble over an ethics violation in an unrelated natter – the military standoff with Cambodia, media hub Travel Mole reported.
The casino bill aimed to offer permits for major integrated casino resorts to boost tourism revenues.
The cabinet withdrew the bill "for now" as the ruling party has lost the support of its coalition partners.
“It needs more studies that require further understanding and social context,” government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsab said.
Image: Calanja McIester, Scop.io
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