Anutin blames casino legalisation plan for decline in Chinese tourist arrivals

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul has blamed the Thai government's controversial plan to legalise casinos for the dramatic decline in Chinese tourist arrivals. Anutin claims the policy has angered Chinese President Xi Jinping, who issued strong warnings to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during a summit.

Anutin's Facebook Post on Casino Policy Fallout

In a Facebook post early on Wednesday morning, Anutin, who recently left the ruling coalition to join the opposition, revealed details of a meeting between PM Paetongtarn and Xi. He said President Xi warned the Thai government three times to cancel the casino legalisation policy or face repercussions from China.

Chinese President's Strong Stance Against Thai Casino Policy

Anutin claimed that President Xi expressed his displeasure with the policy, warning Thailand that failure to cancel the plan would have serious consequences for tourism, trade, and investment from China. Anutin, who was present at the meeting in his capacity as interior minister, said that the Thai government ignored Xi’s concerns and pushed ahead with the policy.

Anutin’s Concerns Over the Policy’s Impact on Tourism

Anutin argued that the casino legalisation policy has directly caused a significant drop in Chinese tourist arrivals, with numbers plummeting by up to 90%. This sharp decline has severely impacted Thai tourism operators, as well as workers in service industries such as hotels, restaurants, and retail.

Impact on Thai Tourism and Local Businesses

According to Anutin, the casino policy has only benefited Chinese nationals involved in "grey businesses" and a select few business groups close to the government. He added that the policy’s negative impact on tourism and local businesses would outweigh any benefits, particularly for those working in the tourism sector.

Bhumjaithai’s Opposition to the Policy

Anutin stated that Bhumjaithai was the only coalition party to openly oppose the casino policy, despite other coalition members reportedly being unhappy with it. He emphasised that the casino plan would hurt the majority of Thais, particularly those employed in the tourism industry.

Call for Government to Cancel the Casino Legalisation Policy

Anutin warned that if the government fails to make a strong commitment not to resubmit the casino legalisation bill to parliament, the damage to Thailand's tourism sector would worsen. He urged the government to publicly announce the cancellation of the policy to prevent further harm.