Thailand's Royal Gazette published the Emergency Decree Amending the Gambling Decree (No. 3) B.E. 2566 on 15 December B.E. 2566, according to the gazette notice1. The amendment decree is dated 7 December B.E. 2566 and changes Section 6 of the Emergency Decree on Gambling B.E. 2547 while adding Sections 6/2 and 6/31.
The decree is signed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin1.
The amended Section 6 states that the operating hours under Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6/2 and 6/3 are set at 06.00 to 04.00 the following day1. The new Section 6/2 covers gambling venues that are not located in a permitted area or are not permitted to operate, and sets the following hours1:
| Venue type | Permitted hours |
|---|---|
| Venues under Section 3 (1), (3), (4) and (5) | 06.00 to 04.00 the following day |
| Venues under Section 3 (2) | 11.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 04.00 the following day |
The new Section 6/3 covers gambling venues located in the provinces of Chanthaburi, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Trat, Tak, Narathiwat, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Songkhla, Sa Kaeo, Satun and Surat Thani, or in other areas designated by the Cabinet, and sets the same two sets of hours1.
The gazette's explanatory note says the amendment was made because the Gambling Act B.E. 2509, as amended by the Gambling Act (No. 4) B.E. 2546, already set operating hours, and because it was appropriate to set hours for venues outside permitted areas and for venues in the listed provinces, which are tourist and border areas, to align with government policy1.
What it means for players
The decree sets the hours during which gambling venues covered by the Emergency Decree on Gambling may operate, replacing the previous arrangement with a single nationwide window of 06.00 to 04.00 the following day for most venue types1. Venues in the twelve named provinces, and in any other area the Cabinet designates, fall under Section 6/3 and follow the same hours1.
For venues in the second category under Section 3 (2), the permitted hours are split into two windows, 11.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 04.00 the following day1. The gazette does not state in the published text which specific activities fall under each numbered sub-clause of Section 3, so the practical effect for any particular venue type has not been reported here.
The decree applies to venues in permitted areas and to those outside them, and to the listed provinces1. It does not change which forms of gambling are legal; it sets operating hours. For the wider legal position in the country, see Can I Gamble in Thailand? and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.
What happens next
The decree was given on 7 December B.E. 2566, and the gazette was published on 15 December B.E. 25661. The gazette does not state a separate commencement provision or a transition period, and no further steps are set out in the published text1. Any later changes to the designated areas under Section 6/3 would come from the Cabinet, which the text names as the body able to designate additional areas1. For how this fits with other recent changes in the region, see Recent and Pending Gambling Law Changes in Asia.
Sources1 sources
- 14672.pdf, ratchakitcha.soc.go.th
