A 35-member Senate committee tasked with studying Thailand’s Entertainment Complex Bill will hold its first meeting on 23 April, with the study expected to take 180 days to complete, according to a report by The Bangkok Post.
The committee was established following a proposal by Senator Sorachat Wichaya Suwanphrom earlier this month, however the original 35 members has been reduced to 34 after one senator resigned. The first meeting is set to focus on appointing key positions within the committee, outlining the study’s framework and naming a replacement for the departed senator, The Bangkok Post says.
Twelve of the committee’s members are said to be external experts, however the report also suggests lobbying is underway for the chairmanship to go to an individual with close ties to a political family in Buri Ram – a city in northeast Thailand – which is a stronghold of the coalition Bhumjaithai Party.
Tensions between Bhumjaithai Party and its ruling coalition partner, the Pheu Thai Party, have been rising in recent weeks with the Entertainment Complex Bill allegedly at the heart of the rift. It has been claimed that many members of Bhumjaithai are personally opposed to the casino bill.
The Bangkok Post also reports that the majority of the 200-member Senate are close to Bhumjaithai, sparking concerns around the impartiality of the committee and its study.
While the Senate committee prepares to delve into the Entertainment Complex Bill, a separate House review was last week postponed until at least July while the government focuses on other issues such as its earthquake response and the imposition of tariffs by the United States.
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