Bangkok: Mr. Wisut Chainarun, a Member of Parliament for the Pheu Thai Party and the Chairman of the Government Coalition Coordination Committee, has announced the government's intention to withdraw the draft bill on the entertainment complex business operation. The decision to retract the draft is due to its current state of unpreparedness and awaits a resolution from the Cabinet scheduled for this Tuesday.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Wisut explained that both the government whip and the Cabinet have agreed to the withdrawal of the draft bill. The Cabinet is expected to pass a resolution for withdrawal on Tuesday, July 8, followed by the government whip's withdrawal on Wednesday, July 9. For the bill to be withdrawn, there must be no objections from members of the House of Representatives. In case of any objections, a vote will be necessary.
Mr. Wisut mentioned that the initial agreement was for the government to ensure the public's understanding of the draft. However, due to issues concerning the Thai-Cambodian border discussed in a closed session, it was not possible to inform the public adequately. He suggested that bringing the draft to parliament at this stage would be challenging, and the government is uncertain about when it will be fully ready. Therefore, he proposed withdrawing it for now, with the possibility of reintroducing it once public understanding is aligned.
In response to queries about the influence of the current political situation, particularly the government's narrow support in parliament, Mr. Wisut acknowledged it as a contributing factor among several others discussed by the government whips that led to the decision to withdraw.
When questioned about the necessity for a parliamentary resolution to withdraw the draft, especially since the opposition is pushing for an immediate vote to potentially overturn the bill, Mr. Wisut expressed curiosity about whether those previously advocating for withdrawal would still support it when the time comes. He emphasized that since the bill has neither been presented nor considered yet, a vote to overturn it would be premature.