The draft, issued by the Office of the Council of State, which provides advice to the government on legal, policy and appointments issues, relates to proposed developments in the major gaming industry of which casinos would be a major component.
Thais over the age of 20 will require at least B50 million in fixed deposits for a minimum six month period in order to enter casinos, with an additional capped entry fee per visit of B5,000, the draft explained.
Such conditions will limit access to much of the population and favour more wealthier Thais, critics have said, adding that the proposed model could ultimately emulate foreigner-only regimes, such as is the case in South Korea.
The draft regulation also stipulated that casinos could take up no more than 10% of such proposed integrated complexes with hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities constituting the majority of floor space.
The latest draft regulation came after China’s President Xi Jinping warned the Thai government that its touted casino-entertainment complex project could cause a spike in criminal activity.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra discussed the controversial issue with Xi during her recent trip to China where he cautioned that legalising casinos could lead to a number of social problems.
Gambling is illegal in mainland China and there are strict laws governing it in Thailand although state-controlled horse racing, the lottery and certain sports, such as boxing, as permitted.
The Pheu Thai-led government argues that instead of criminalising gambling and its associated activities and driving them underground, the government should regulate them and collect revenue from them.
“We have to admit that some illegal gambling dens are still operating in the country. The money changing hands in those gambling dens does not benefit the country. If they are legalised, revenue can be collected from them and used for national development projects,” Ms Paetongtarn said on Feb 12.
On Jan 13, the Cabinet approved in principle a bill that would pave the way for the establishment of such casino-entertainment complexes. The Council of State, the government’s legal arm, has been given 50 days to review the bill before forwarding it to the House for deliberation.
However, an opinion poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration on Jan 25 revealed that almost 60% of 1,350 Thais polled oppose the casino plan, while opposition political parties fear establishing a gambling industry would exacerbate social problems.
- Additional reporting by Bangkok Post