An extraordinary House committee has set up five sub-committees to study a proposed casino-entertainment complex.

The project has been stalled amid fierce debate among proponents and opponents of the controversial project.

Phada Worakanont, a Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MP and spokeswoman for the House committee, said one of the sub-committees will be responsible for studying related laws as well as the collection of tax. A second sub-committee will scout potential locations and study the criteria and conditions for opening such a complex, she said.

Another will focus on investment and the format of the complex while a fourth will look into the gambling business. A fifth sub-committee will examine how to prevent any negative impact the project may have, Ms Phada added.

The appointment of the sub-committee members will be presented for endorsement by Parliament President Chuan Leekpai, she said.

The spokeswoman said the House committee's chairman is keen to encourage broad public participation in the matter by inviting the public, students and representatives of various organisations to serve as advisers to the committee.

Last Thursday, MPs voted 310 to nine in favour of setting up an extraordinary committee to look into the proposal for the casino complex to attract foreign visitors and bring additional revenue into the country.

The proposal to set up the committee was put forward by Chutchawan Kong-udom, leader of the Thai Local Power Party.

Mr Chutchawan told the Bangkok Post that the shift to online gambling has cost the country significant revenue.

If the existing laws cannot control or regulate online gambling, they should be amended to fit the circumstances, which would create revenue if properly regulated, he said.