Thais view casinos as integral to Entertainment Complex Bill's future: Survey
Most Thai people see casinos as an essential element for the success of the proposed Entertainment Complex Bill, according to a recent survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA).
The survey found that 45.73 percent of respondents did not place any particular importance on news about either casinos or complete entertainment venues. Meanwhile, 27.24 percent said they gave equal importance to both aspects, and 19.47 percent focused more on complete entertainment venues. Only 7.56 percent showed a specific interest in the casino element alone.
The survey was conducted from 21 to 23 April 2025 among 1,310 respondents aged 18 and over from across Thailand. NIDA stated that the poll used probability sampling methods with a 97.0 percent confidence level and a margin of error of no more than 0.05.
Casino provision seen as vital for bill’s passage
Asked whether the draft Entertainment Complex Bill would pass the House of Representatives if the casino component were removed, 46.18 percent of respondents said it would not. Another 32.67 percent believed the bill could still pass, while 19.01 percent thought it would be impossible to propose the bill at all without including casinos. Only 2.14 percent showed no interest or did not answer.
“Almost half of the respondents believe that the Entertainment Complex Bill would fail to pass if the casino provision were left out,” the NIDA Poll results said. This underscores the public perception that casinos are central to the bill’s viability, despite efforts by some politicians to separate the two issues.
The survey follows a recent decision by the government to delay pushing the bill through parliament after facing opposition from various groups.
Public response to anti-casino stance
The public remains divided over Bhumjaithai Party Secretary-General Chaichanok Chidchob’s declaration that the party would “never agree with a casino.” According to the survey, 35.80 percent of respondents said that Chaichanok’s stance was correct. In contrast, 29.08 percent viewed his statement as a political bargaining move. Another 27.63 percent regarded it as a personal opinion rather than a reflection of the Bhumjaithai Party’s official position.
Meanwhile, 22.44 percent thought Chaichanok’s comments were made in response to public sentiment but expected he would eventually have to align with the party’s decision. Another 20.38 percent believed the ruling Pheu Thai Party would still succeed in pushing forward a full-service entertainment complex, casinos included.
Political tensions expected to rise
The survey findings also suggest public anticipation of political tension arising from the casino debate. Around 10.84 percent of respondents believed internal divisions could develop within Bhumjaithai, while 9.39 percent thought it could lead to a split between Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai. A further 6.72 percent said there was a high likelihood that Bhumjaithai could be removed from the coalition government.
At the same time, 13.59 percent believed Bhumjaithai would eventually have to give in to Pheu Thai, while 4.50 percent said Pheu Thai might be the one to yield. Only 5.95 percent viewed Chaichanok’s anti-casino announcement as the wrong decision.
