Thailand’s Coalition and Opposition Parties Call for Entertainment Complex Bill to be Reconsidered

Thai political parties question the proposed Khlong Toei Entertainment Complex's impact on tourism, jobs, and crime. (Image: Courtesy of me49)

Thailand’s Council of State's draft bill aimed at establishing and regulating land based casinos as part of integrated entertainment complexes, yet it remained silent on the issue of online casinos has members of the coalition Bhumjaithai and opposition Democrat parties questioning claims that legalizing gambling in Thailand would benefit tourism and employment.

Both parties claim that the benefits of the government's entertainment complex will not outweigh the negative impacts. There were four key points that Chaichanok Chidchob, the Bhumjaithai Party secretary-general, disagreed with.

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The first key point was that the bill would not resolve the issue of illegal gambling and may cause more gambling problems in both the new legal sector and the underground grey industry. 

The second key point made was that any benefits to state and public coffers would not justify the level of investment. 

The third point was based around the use of casinos to attract tourism. Mr. Chaichanok said, “This was unnecessary given the pre-existing abundance of renowned attractions all over the country.” 

The fourth and final point was around employment. Mr. Chaichanok said: “The bill fails to spell out exactly how Thai workers could secure the jobs.” 

Call for Bill to be Reconsidered  

There were questions from other senior politicians, including Chaichana Detdecho, deputy secretary-general of the Democrat Party, who called for the bill to be reconsidered and questioned whether Thailand could achieve the same growth as Macau or countries like Vietnam and Singapore following the change. 

Detdecho said, "The Democrat Party will not support this bill. If the government really wants to boost national revenue, it could do so by legalising and taxing long-existing underground lotteries.” 

Concerns Over Crime and Lack of Jobs for Thai Workers 

Concerns were also expressed by Suchatvee Suwansawat, deputy leader of the Democratic Party, who posted on Facebook on National Mother's Day that ‘gambling is a blight on family values. He also said that the casinos would have to target Thai customers.  

Mr. Suwansawat said that similar ventures in neighbouring countries had failed to provide jobs other than for a few hundred low-level workers. 

He also brought up the issue of potential crime and said, “The link between casinos and severe crime, particularly money laundering, especially near the Thai border, has shown that such activities are difficult to control.” 

A source said the Entertainment Complex project, approved in principle by the cabinet back in April, hopes to give an added boost to the economy as Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin enters his second year in office.