Opposition MP Parit Wacharasindhu says the government’s push to legalise casinos is deeply flawed, citing unclear economic gains, weak safeguards against social harm, and a lack of transparency.
Mr Parit, spokesman of the People’s Party, said on his Facebook page on Friday that he was invited to join a panel discussion hosted by Inside Asian Gaming, a Macau-based media outlet on the gaming and casino industry, regarding the controversial draft entertainment complex bill earlier.
Mr Parit outlined his opposition to the draft bill in several aspects, namely, the economic, social, and policy aspects, as well as the drive and implementation.
The MP said that the government’s claims regarding studies on economic benefits are not clear and comprehensive enough, as they are based on assumptions rather than facts. They also overlook future tourism trends, such as China’s response to its citizens travelling to countries with a legalised casino industry.
There are also no suitable measures to shield society from the effects of casino operations, he said, such as corruption, crimes, money laundering, and gambling addiction. There is also a lack of clarity and consistency in the government’s communication of its policies, which affects public trust.
Mr Parit also touched on points of view he had heard from the private sector, among them the notion that the government could generate up to 50 billion baht in tax revenue if the casino policy were implemented, with a considerable number of Thai visitors.
However, the proposal was based on the assumption that 80% of players in casinos were Thai, and they gambled in the casinos 21 million times a year collectively. This was premised on the belief that more than half of Thais are over 20 years of age in provinces where a casino is located, and they would visit it up to three times a year.
Mr Parit said this does not align with the government’s proposal that Thais with at least 50 million baht in bank deposits for the past six months can gamble in a casino, since there are fewer than 10,000 people who meet this requirement.
The private sector then suggested that the economic goals set by the government would be prevented by the deposit requirement itself. This shows how the government has not been straightforward with its policy, said Mr Parit.
“The government chose to insert the 50-million-baht deposit requirement clause in the draft act to soften the opposition,” wrote Mr Parit. “Deep down, its intention is to allow a significant number of Thais to enter the casinos and gamble.”
The goal should be to create a policy that balances between attracting investment to create healthy competition and creating rules and regulations to make sure that Thais benefit.
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