During her official visit to China last week, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was warned by President Xi Jinping about potential increases in criminal activity stemming from Thailand’s proposed casino-entertainment complex.
On Tuesday, Ms. Paetongtarn told reporters at Government House that she had discussed this contentious issue with Mr. Xi during her trip.
She informed reporters that Mr. Xi had requested additional details about the complex, which she described as an integrated facility comprising hotels, restaurants, and entertainment options, with the casino occupying less than 10% of the total space.
Gambling is prohibited in mainland China and is strictly regulated in Thailand.
Ms. Paetongtarn mentioned that Mr. Xi expressed concerns that legalizing casinos could lead to various social issues, to which she replied that further evaluations of the project were underway before any approval.
This initiative aligns with the policies of the Pheu Thai-led government, as declared by Ms. Paetongtarn in parliament on September 12 of the previous year.
Pheu Thai advocates for the regulation and taxation of gambling and related activities, rather than pushing them into illegality.
“We have to admit that some illegal gambling dens are still operating in the country. The money changing hands in these gambling dens does not benefit the country. If they are legalized, revenue can be collected from them and used for national development projects,” Ms. Paetongtarn said on Tuesday.
On January 13, the cabinet tentatively approved a bill facilitating the creation of such complexes.
The bill is now under the Council of State’s review, scheduled for 50 days, after which it will be sent to the House for further discussion.
Pakorn Nilprapunt, the secretary-general of the council, noted on Tuesday that the council is refining the bill, with amendments expected to be finalized early next month.
Sources indicate that the 50-day review period will conclude on March 6.
Mr. Pakorn explained that although the revised bill differs from the original, its principal elements are preserved.
When asked about the permissible area for a casino within such complexes, Mr. Pakorn stated it should not exceed 10%.
Regarding whether a referendum should be conducted to decide on the legalization of casinos, he remarked that it is a decision for the government to make.
The government maintains that no referendum is necessary as the policy has already been endorsed by parliament and was part of Pheu Thai’s campaign.
Nevertheless, a civil group has initiated a campaign to collect signatures for a referendum on this matter.
Thanakorn Komkris, secretary-general of the Stop Gambling Foundation, reported that the goal is to collect at least 50,000 signatures.
Earlier, the foundation had launched an online petition to gauge public support for the Entertainment Complex Bill promoted by the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
The bill stipulates that an entertainment complex must secure a license valid for up to 30 years.
Operators are required to pay 5 billion baht for registration, plus an annual fee of 1 billion baht, with assessments conducted every five years. After 30 years, the license may be renewed for an additional ten years.
Entry is barred for individuals under 20, and Thai nationals must pay a 5,000 baht entrance fee.
