Rakchanok urged Anutin to respond, pointing out that yesterday he denied rejecting the bill to deregulate snooker gambling, but today he said it is still under consideration. She criticized him for signing documents without reading.
On 18 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Nont Paisanlimjaroenkij, Member of Parliament for Nonthaburi District 8 from the People's Party, and Ms. Rakchanok Srinok, a party-list MP from the People's Party, commented on the Prime Minister's decision not to approve the amendment to the Gambling Act aimed at removing snooker and billiards from the list of gambling activities. They questioned the government's vision for supporting professional sports and highlighted confusion in the country's leadership management.
Mr. Nont revealed that the Prime Minister's Secretariat issued a letter dated 8 Aug 2026 GMT+7 to the Secretary-General of the House of Representatives, stating that after considering opinions from related agencies, the Prime Minister had ordered the disapproval of the said bill. Nont viewed this as regrettable, as efforts to deregulate snooker sports have been halted.
“After receiving the matter, I collaborated with athletes, the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand, and fellow MPs to push the amendment to the Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935), which was submitted to the parliament on 29 Apr 2026 GMT+7. The key reason is that this law has been in use for over 90 years and no longer aligns with the current status of snooker as a professional sport, with Thai athletes achieving world-class results. These restrictions impact youth opportunities, training, and create loopholes in law enforcement. However, when the bill was classified as a financial bill requiring the Prime Minister’s approval under Section 134 of the Constitution, it was rejected,” Mr. Nont said.
Mr. Nont posed a final question to the government: “Where is the problem?” Since the government is well aware of the potential of Thai snooker, why not allow the sector to develop further? If there are legal, budgetary, state revenue constraints, or concerns about gambling, a straightforward explanation should be provided. I emphasize this is not a demand to liberalize gambling, but that sports must be treated as sports. If the government believes snooker should remain tied to gambling laws, it should provide a clear answer instead of simply saying 'not approved,' because behind this bill lies the future of athletes, coaches, and operators—all deserving of consideration.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Rakchanok responded to the Prime Minister’s media interview today regarding the rejection of the bill, in which he stated, “I will call for a review. It is under consideration. I have not said I will not sign it. It hasn’t even reached me yet.”
Ms. Rakchanok said, “Honestly, can the Prime Minister contradict between the official letter from the Secretariat and his own statements today? There are only two possible explanations.”
“1) The Prime Minister is completely uninformed about government administration and signed off on rejecting a law that determines the lives and futures of citizens without reading the details. This raises concerns whether he similarly signs other documents carelessly.”
“2) Someone forged the Prime Minister’s signature or impersonated his authority. If the government office’s system is failing to this extent, the Prime Minister must urgently order a committee to investigate the truth, otherwise the public will lose trust in a leader who cannot even remember what he has signed.”
“But I think no one else signed for him. Mr. Anutin’s style is probably not understanding procedures, not paying attention, or not comprehending legislative work. My guess is he signed documents carelessly based on files placed before him, or was ordered to sign without reading a single word on the paper. If I were to say more on this, I would note that the public increasingly questions what the Prime Minister seriously cares about—except seeking personal happiness and entertainment,” Ms. Rakchanok concluded.
