A group of Thai parliamentarians has submitted a special petition to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's right-wing coalition government to legalize casino gambling.
Bloomberg news agency reported Wednesday that lawmakers said such a move would attract foreign tourists and their money to Las Vegas-style casino resorts in cities such as Bangkok and Pattaya, allowing the country to grow. They seem to think they can rebuild the prevalent economy.The source said the call was also part of a broader campaign to bring Thailand to a more liberal legal system, with moves to legalize cannabis and legalize same-sex marriage last month.
Interests in Thailand
With a population of over 6600 million, Thailand is said to be almost completely surrounded by countries such as Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia that allow some form of gambling.Pichet Chuamuangphan of the left-wing Pheu Thai party was quoted as saying legalizing casinos in Thailand would help attract domestic holidaymakers who were traveling abroad to gamble.
Chuamuangphan said:
"We are focused on attracting foreigners, strengthening tourism and withdrawing more money from their pockets, which stops the outflow of funds from Thai gamblers and is economical for the government. It also helps to collect high taxes for your safety. "
fashionable findings
In addition, lawmakers quoted a domestic survey released earlier this month, reporting that 81% of respondents supported the idea of a casino resort in Thailand.Bangkok and the tourist destinations of Pattaya and Rayong are the most popular, leading to an annual tax revenue increase of $ 110 billion.
legislative freedom
Bloomberg said the commission's petition was based on a special provision in Thailand's Gambling Act of 1935, which gave the government the right to build gambling venues in certain areas, while allowing the country as a whole to promote such entertainment. It is reported that it admits that it is illegal.Analysts Kai Lin Choo and Angela Hanlee, based on documents submitted in March, said foreigner-only facilities in South Korea and Vietnam "showed that casinos struggle without a steady stream of customers." , allegedly claimed that one of the keys to the success of these businesses was to enable locals to gamble.
Comprehensive composition
Chuamuangphan also stressed that public-private partnerships, including foreign companies, and issuing licenses directly to foreign companies can attract casinos to Thailand.In that case, he said, in addition to entertainment such as amusement parks and concert halls, hotels and retail stores should also be added.
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