A legislator requested that the Thai government hold a public vote on the plan to legalize casinos as part of entertainment complexes.
A lawmaker urged Thailand's government to hold a public referendum on a proposal to legalize its casinos within entertainment complexes.
Democrat Party MP Jurin Laksanawisit believes this would give the public an opportunity to evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of the measure for Thai society.
He pointed to the public's "divided" opinions on the issue, as well as concerns raised by critics about potential negative impacts.
He also said winning parties in the 2023 election "did not campaign on a platform of casino legalisation."
Jurin's statement comes less exactly a week after Thailand's Cabinet approved the draft law of the bill.
In the Entertainment Complex Business Bill, casinos may be placed inside entertainment complexes. However, these should only comprise 5 percent of the land space.
Benedikt Hofmann, deputy representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) earlier voiced his concern on the measure, saying this could cause criminal activity.
"It also opens the door for ostensibly legitimate investments and use of the system by criminal actors for their illicit purposes, especially in a region rife with such actors,” Hofmann stated. He further drew parallels with the Philippines' experience with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), noting that “creating legal licensing and regulatory frameworks for gambling operators, like the POGO scheme, did not prevent the system from being taken over by highly problematic actors,” Hofmann said.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a prominent member of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, stated that each entertainment complex is expected to create around 20,000 jobs, providing a substantial boost to local economies. Thaksin also highlighted that Thailand plans to award casino licenses through a rigorous bidding process. The selection will prioritize proposals that demonstrate clear benefits for tourism and government tax revenue. He expressed confidence that the bill would be approved within the year.
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