Thai bishops against proposed gambling bill
The government is pushing for a quick approval of the Integrated Entertainment Business Act, which will go before parliament this Wednesday for first reading, taking precedence over the recent earthquake and Trump's tariffs. The Bishops' Conference warns that the bill has many potential negative consequences. Even many doctors and academics opposed it.
Bangkok (AsiaNews) – The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand (CBCT) issued a statement last Thursday appealing to the government to stop the approval process of a controversial gambling bill, the Integrated Entertainment Business Act (IEBA), which it firmly opposes. For the bishops, the draft legislation risks dragging society down to a serious level of moral and social degradation.
The statement, signed by the CBCT President, Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok, urges the authorities to review the bill because of many potential negative consequences.
The Thai Church is united in its opposition to the IEBA along with other organisations and movements, including doctors, academics and school teachers who are set to protest on Wednesday against the first reading of the bill. Critics also include members of the Academy of Moral and Political Science at the Royal Society of Thailand.
A group of 37 senior doctors from Chulalongkorn University have come out against the proposal, saying that Thailand is still plagued by a patronage system and lax law enforcement, while corruption is deeply entrenched. This, they explain, certainly does not favour a reform of this magnitude on gambling.
For the sake of social stability in the country, they call for the bill to be withdrawn, slamming the government's "haste" in pushing the bill through, especially at a time when other issues are pressing, like the recent earthquake in Myanmar and tariffs imposed by the US President Donald Trump.
The government is facing harsh criticism for trying to speed up the proposed legislation, without a comprehensive feasibility study to support it. For this reason, Jatuporn Prompan, leader of the People's Unity Group, urged Thais to join Wednesday’s protest.
People's Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut presented a motion to put the recent earthquake on the agenda as an urgent matter, but the Pheu Thai Party had it replaced with the proposed entertainment bill.
In its statement, the CBCT writes: “The Catholic Church has a mission to be a moral teacher for humanity,” and is responsible for “proclaiming moral principles and social order at all times and places through teaching and training for the benefit of a good life in society that is geared towards the development of the whole human being.”
Expressing deep concern, the bishops warn that allowing gambling and casinos could exacerbate social problems, including addictions to gambling, financial issues and debts, crime, money laundering, human trafficking and circumvention, which particularly affect children and young people.
The statement highlights the interconnectedness of economic activities and moral behaviour, stressing that “economic development must be development that is in accordance with morality in order to aim for overall human development.” Hence, “we call on the government to focus on sustainable and balanced economic development in line with the development of the people’s morality and ethics.”
Appealing directly to the government, the bishops note that it must protect “the people by enacting just laws that are in line with the dignity of the human person and are based on sound reason.”
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08/10/2019 13:10
