The Bhumjaithai Party has urged the government to speed up its legal casino project as the facility will be one of the solutions for solving the problem of gambling dens, illegal online gambling and fraud.
Bhumjaithai MP Saritpong Kiewkhong revealed on Thursday during a press briefing that he would like the government to consider legalising casinos to end corruption in this area and gain revenue from legal gambling.
He noted that illegal casino operators have paid kickbacks to many police officers and government officials who exploit the law's loopholes. Legalising casinos means that online gambling sites and offline casinos would be under government inspection.
Moreover, Mr Saritpong added that legal casinos would generate more revenue for Thailand from both locals and foreigners.
"According to our research, Singapore has invested over 50-60 billion baht in operating legal casinos and entertainment complexes, which has now created more than 20 billion baht in profits. This has raised Singapore's tourism business by up to 20%," he said.
He said the government, under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's leadership, should speed up the casino legalisation plan. Otherwise, the country will lose opportunities to create more revenue and curb graft.
In January, a special House committee proposed it study the feasibility of building entertainment complexes, including legal casinos, due to their lucrative potential.
According to the results of that study, such a complex would cost US$8 billion, or 280 billion baht. It would take five years to build and employ 30,000 people.
The report says one could be built in Bangkok, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), or at any of 22 main tourist hotspots.
It could also be located within a 100-kilometre radius of an international airport, or in border provinces with permanent immigration checkpoints, such as Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Phayao, among others.
Eight types of gambling activities should be permitted, it said, including online casinos, betting on the stock exchange index and foreign exchange rates, and betting on sporting events.