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Bangkok Post
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Betting on the wrong horse
In times of economic challenge and amid simmering border tensions with Cambodia, Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who doubles as interior minister, has quietly overturned a 67-year-old ban on poker, reclassifying it from gambling to a recognised sport. The sudden move, which happened without public consultation, has sparked criticism and fuelled suspicion about the government's true priorities. The controversy is not over whether poker is inherently good or bad, but the government's motives. Why prioritise this issue when the country is facing far more urgent challenges? Why the haste, and why the absence of a clear public explanation? In Thailand, poker had been listed as a form of gambling since 1958. Against today's backdrop of military clashes and economic instability, it is hardly surprising that many citizens are questioning the government's intent in suddenly changing the rules. This move follows an earlier attempt by the administration to legalise online gambling and entertainment complexes centred on casinos. The effort faced opposition and was eventually withdrawn from parliament. Thus, the abrupt decision to declassify poker from the gambling list inevitably raises suspicions. The government argues that changing the rules on poker will allow Thailand to host international poker tournaments. It also says the game is recognised as a sport in many countries and that several Thais have achieved professional status abroad. Yet the pressing question remains: which domestic safeguards ensure the game will strictly be practised as a sport? Recent months have seen police raids on illegal poker dens in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya, with hundreds of millions of baht in gambling proceeds seized from both Thai and foreign players. These activities are clearly unrelated to poker as a sport. Will legalisation inadvertently legitimise such operations or send the wrong message that poker gambling is now permissible? While the government defends poker legalisation as an effort to promote a sport, the timing raises questions. Thailand is set to host the 33rd SEA Games in December, yet key budget allocations remain stalled. Although the cabinet has approved more than 2 billion baht for the event, slow disbursement is hindering preparations. For example, a budget request for 450 million baht for the opening and closing ceremonies has been rejected. Instead, the organisers will receive just 45 million baht for both ceremonies. If the government's priority is truly to promote sports, shouldn't the SEA Games, now only four months away, take precedence? Investigations by the Isra News Agency reveal the policy shift followed a request from RF Club Co, Ltd, which represents the entertainment brand World Poker Tour. According to Isra, company's officials met Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong in April to propose hosting a Texas Hold'em demonstration event in Thailand. The order legalising poker as a sport took effect on July 30. Two days later, WPT staged its inaugural demonstration at a Bangkok shopping mall. This sequence has fuelled further concerns over government transparency. No one disputes poker's global status or the potential tourism benefits of hosting poker tournaments. But legalising this game without safeguards, without public engagement, and in the shadow of widespread underground gambling is simply reckless. Without firm regulations, clear communication and a demonstrable commitment to preventing abuse, this hurried decision risks turning a sport into a legal loophole.
Bloomberg
06-02-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Thailand Restarts Central Bank Chair Selection After Long Delay
Thailand has restarted a process delayed for several months to select a new chairman for the nation's central bank after a previous attempt to appoint a former minister to the post failed due to his political links. The Finance Ministry has nominated Somchai Sujjapongse, a retired top bureaucrat at the ministry, as its new candidate, Thai-language Isra News Agency reported Thursday. He will vie for the job with academic Surapon Nitikraipot, who was proposed by the Bank of Thailand, the news agency reported, citing unidentified sources at the central bank and the Finance Ministry.
