For any government that tries to legalise casino projects in Land of Smiles, public resistance often gets in the way. The latest attempt by the Paetongtarn administration is no different.
Early this week, the Stop Gambling Foundation launched an online petition campaign asking people to give their signatures against the Entertainment Complex Bill -- a draft law the Pheu Thai-led coalition is trying to pass.
If eventually passed, the law will allow investors to open casinos in entertainment complexes in Thailand.
Perhaps it is time to ask why opposition to casinos remains while Thais are fond of gambling. The legalisation of casinos has been a thorny issue in Thailand. Over the past three decades, attempts by governments and lawmakers to legalise casinos have run into hurdles as opponents and anti-gambling groups have cited moral and social issues to oppose them.
However, resistance has reduced markedly over time. Anti-gambling groups are not as fierce as they were two decades ago. While many polls and researchers have found that the majority of survey groups still did not want to see gambling legalised, society has gradually loosened up on the idea, with many accepting that Thailand will follow in the footsteps of Singapore, where casinos are operated as tourist attractions. For instance, Marina Bay Sands operates within an integrated resort with a shopping complex, hotel, conference centre, theatre, and concert hall. To prevent people from betting addiction, Singapore has also set high fees for local citizens who want to bet at casinos.
Perhaps the biggest question is what a Thai-style casino will be like.
Will we have a world-class casino entertainment complex that can add new tourist attractions like those in Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore?
Or will we have casinos like those operated in Poipet or Myawaddy, which are run by many Chinese investors and local underground operators?
So far, the Thai public is unconvinced because governments and policymakers keep changing the casino project's features.
There are various reports of locations. At first, the designated locations were prime destinations in touristy towns such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Then, the locations were reportedly included in border provinces with permanent immigration checkpoints, such as Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Phayao.
The goal and rationale behind legalising casinos also keep changing -- from stamping out underground casinos to promoting tourism and raising tax revenue. Many see it as a money-making exercise. Recently, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra told a business forum that a casino complex would cost around 500 billion baht and attract foreign direct investment, with the complex possibly listed on the SET.
The draft law of the entertainment-complex bill also raises doubts as it gives power to the national committee to decide the locations and specifications of entertainment complexes.
Without a clear vision, the government's casino policy will only face pushback. If so, the Pheu Thai-led government has only itself to blame. Its rush to pass the law and bypass public participation only raises public doubts about its real motives.
The only way to realise a proper casino policy in Thailand is through good communication and public participation. If the public remains unconvinced, it will be a losing game for the government.