Thai government passes bill to legalize casinos

(CLO) The Thai government has approved a draft law to legalize gambling and casinos, a move aimed at boosting tourism , jobs and investment, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Monday.

According to the government's plan, the law will be submitted to parliament for discussion, which will allow gambling activities to take place at large-scale entertainment complexes.

Casinos and most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand, but football betting and underground gambling are rampant with large sums of money on the line. Only a few forms of gambling are allowed, such as state-controlled horse racing and state lotteries.

Illustration: GI

Several of Thailand's neighbours have large casino complexes and the Thai government believes that not having legal casinos means the country is turning its back on revenue and failing to tap its tourism potential.

Tourism is a key driver of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, and Thailand expects visitor numbers to hit record levels in the next few years. "Legalization will protect the public and also generate more revenue for the state," Paetongtarn told reporters.

Previous Thai governments have sought to legalize and regulate gambling to boost the economy, but each effort has met with opposition from conservatives in the predominantly Buddhist country.

Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said the latest move could boost foreign tourist arrivals by 5% to 10% and boost tourism revenue by about 120 billion baht to 220 billion baht ($3.45 billion to $6.32 billion). He added that about 9,000 to 15,000 new jobs would be created.

The main supporter of legalizing gambling is former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn's father, an influential figure in Thailand's ruling party.

Hoang Anh (according to Bangkok Post, Reuters, TIE)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chinh-phu-thai-lan-thong-qua-du-luat-hop-phap-hoa-song-bac-post330262.html