The governing Pheu Thai Party is convinced it can persuade the second-largest coalition partner, Bhumjaithai, to drop its opposition to legalising casinos.
Pheu Thai has sponsored a bill to legalise casinos as part of a project to create large regional entertainment complexes to spur investment. However, Bhumjaithai announced on Tuesday that it opposes the bill.
Speaking hours before he was removed as prime minister by the Constitutional Court in Wednesday, Srettha Thavisin said he was optimistic Pheu Thai can eventually win over Bhumjaithai.
Admitting that making casinos legal was a controversial issue, Mr Srettha said more talks are needed with coalition parties to change their views. All parties must be convinced and agree to legalise casinos before the bill is presented to the House, he said.
After gaining cabinet approval in April, the Entertainment Complex Business Operation Bill is currently undergoing an online public hearing process organised by the Ministry of Finance from Aug 2-18.
The debate over whether to legalise gambling has been ongoing for decades, Mr Srettha acknowledged. Pheu Thai wants to make gambling a legal activity so that it can be regulated, said Mr Srettha, who added he believes Bhumjaithai will eventually agree to it.
Bhumjaithai on Tuesday said it opposed the bill on four key points. First, it would not solve the issue of illegal gambling and may cause more gambling problems. Second, the supposed financial benefits to the state and private sector generated from taxing the casinos do not justify the investment.
Third, using casinos to stimulate tourism is untenable, given the pre-existing abundance of renowned attractions all over the country. Finally, the party said, the bill fails to spell out how an entertainment complex can provide job security for Thai workers.
Somkid Chueakong, former deputy secretary-general to Mr Srettha, said state agencies would answer questions that Bhumjaithai or any other coalition party may have about the bill. This will help reconcile differences in opinion among them, he said.
The two main opposition parties, the People’s Party and the Democrat Party, are against the bill. Rangsiman Rome, a People’s Party MP, said he was concerned the entertainment complex scheme risks being mismanaged and could end up turning Thailand into new money laundering location for shady international businesses.
He also said he had already heard rumours about people lobbying for a licence to operate an entertainment complex with a casino.