Riding the wave of the world championship! "Ice Rakchanok" urges the government to delist "snooker" from the gambling list to end extortion and restore the dignity of Thai cue sports.
On 25 March 2026, MP Ice Rakchanok Srinok, representing the People’s Party, responded to the nationwide celebration of "F Nakornnayok," also known as Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who recently claimed a world-level championship. She pointed out this is a "golden opportunity" for the government to stop viewing snooker merely as gambling and instead fully promote it as a professional sport.
MP Ice said it is time for the government to use Thai athletes’ success as a driving force to amend the Gambling Act, which has been in place for over 91 years and is outdated and out of sync with global contexts. "We want the government to delist snooker from the gambling category to finally restore the sport’s dignity."
She revealed a dark side of the industry: the current law, which grants the Ministry of Interior control, creates loopholes allowing local authorities to demand extortion or "tribute" from snooker parlors nationwide. Those wanting to operate legally often find it difficult and end up paying under the table, turning the scene into a source of racketeering and a tool for certain politicians’ agendas.
She emphasized the need to create opportunities for youth and develop the next "F Nakornnayok," starting from childhood. She believes that as long as snooker remains classified as gambling, Thai children will lack chances to train their skills early on.
"Regardless of the sport, if children don’t have the chance to practice from a young age, their chances of winning world championships or rising to the top are almost impossible," she urged the Prime Minister to keep his promise. The People’s Party plans to have MP Non Paisan Limjaroenkij soon submit a bill to amend the act in parliament. They also called on the Prime Minister, who also serves as Minister of Interior, to fulfill his commitment, stating that if the government agrees, everything will proceed smoothly and help erase society’s prejudice against snooker.
Additionally, the People’s Party plans to hold an event called "Shoot Snooker with the People’s Party" to gather public input and invite citizens to co-sign the proposed legal amendments. They stressed that this delisting is "not about opening casinos" or related to Entertainment Complexes, but is a clear separation of the sport from vices, with strict regulatory controls in place.