Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has assured China’s President Xi Jinping that Thailand will not legalize casinos or use any form of gambling to stimulate the economy.
As reported by The Nation, the two leaders held a bilateral meeting during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, where Anutin reiterated the fact that his recently formed government had halted all gambling legislation and would look to other measures for a much-needed economic boost.
Speaking with media after the meeting, Anutin stated, “We have other options to improve the economy of Thailand, relying on the capabilities of the Thai people, Thai products and Thai technology.”
Anutin also explained that President Xi had praised his anti-gambling stance and reiterated his own commitment to discourage Chinese citizens from traveling abroad to gamble.
The meeting was, according to The Nation, also used by Anutin as an opportunity to extend an invitation to Chinese tourists to return to Thailand with a guarantee they would be safe.
The Prime Minister’s call comes with the number of Chinese tourist arrivals to Thailand continuing to fall.
In a recent note, Maybank Securities said that airlines had continued to reduce capacity on China-Thailand routes in 3Q25 – likely due to safety concerns following negative publicity around scam centers on the Thai border and the high-profile kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing in January. Wang was later located in Myanmar where he had been forced to work in one of those scam centers.
Kevin Clayton, Galaxy Entertainment Group’s Chief Brand Officer, Thailand, noted during IAG’s Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable in June that such instances had resulted in a “reassessment of Thailand as a destination” among Chinese tourists.
“Affordability and accessibility will always be key considerations for many travelers before making a decision on a vacation, but safety will always rank above all else,” Clayton explained at the time.
“It’s therefore much easier to understand why Chinese are deciding against Thailand and preferring other more favorable destinations like Japan, South Korea and Singapore.”
It had been hoped that entertainment complexes with casinos would help fuel incremental growth, however the removal of the pro-casino Pheu Thai Party from government following the ouster of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as Prime Minister has seen the country’s casino policy scrapped.
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