According to Thai media, Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the issue of her government’s plans to legalize casino gambling at a bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Patongtarn Shinawatra.
According to The Bangkok Post, Patongtarn revealed some details of the discussion during a press conference, saying that the Chinese president had asked for more information about Thailand’s entertainment complex bill. He also raised the potential for crime and social problems to increase as a result of legalizing casinos.
The Thai prime minister said she explained that the vision is to develop integrated entertainment complexes with hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues, with casinos taking up less than 10% of the total area.
She also told the Chinese president that more research would be done before the entertainment complex bill, which is currently being considered in parliament, was approved.
Doubling down on the need for a legal casino industry, Paetongtarn told reporters, “We have to admit that some illegal gambling dens are still operating in the country. The money changing hands in those gambling dens does not benefit the country. If they are legalized, revenue can be collected from them and used for national development projects.”
Thailand’s entertainment complex bill is currently being considered by the State Council, which has until March 6 to forward the bill to the House of Representatives.
The bill states that entertainment complexes must be operated by private companies with a minimum paid-up capital of at least THB10 billion (US$285 million). It envisages that the projects must be joint investments by the government and private operators, which could follow a concession model similar to that used in Macau.
While the exact number and locations of such complexes have yet to be determined, recent reports suggest that five licenses could be issued, including two in Bangkok.
Among the global operators that have expressed interest in Thailand are Las Vegas Sands, Genting Singapore, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Melco Resorts and MGM Resorts. The latter said last year that any application for a license in Thailand would be made through its Macau subsidiary MGM China.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel!
