Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Chinese President Xi Jinping was pleased with Thailand’s stance against legalising casinos, and the Chinese government will encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the country.
Mr Anutin shared the update upon his return from China on Saturday night, after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meetings in South Korea.
The prime minister said he had held a meeting with President Xi, during which he reaffirmed that Thailand had no plan to legalise gambling or casinos.
“President Xi appeared satisfied with the confirmation,” Mr Anutin said.
President Xi noted that China could advise its citizens to avoid visiting countries whose policies differ from China’s principles.
“The talks went well and were full of mutual understanding. President Xi appeared more at ease when he learned that the current Thai government has no policy to legalise casinos. This means the Chinese government will support its citizens in visiting Thailand with confidence,” Mr Anutin said.
Early this year, President Xi reportedly warned former Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra against the casino legalisation policy of her government. In mid-year, Ms Paetongtarn said that Chinese tourists were concerned about safety, not the casino policy.
Chinese arrivals in Thailand dropped sharply in the first half of this year to 2.26 million, a 34% year-on-year decline.
