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Thailand – House of Representatives approve report proposing five Integrated Resort casinos

A special House Committee report proposing that five resort style casinos should be opened in Thailand within two to three years has been approved by the House of Representatives.

With a vote count of 310 votes to nine, the House has now asked for a more detailed break down of the economic effects that Integrated Resort casinos would bring to the country.

The report recommends that entertainment complexes should be built with no more than five per cent of the floor space dedicated to gaming in up to five locations with Bangkok, Pattaya, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga all suggested as ideal locations.

Pichet Chuamuangphan, the second vice-chairman of the committee, said that an initial casino in the Greater Bangkok area, along with gaming floors in seaside southern regions could generate at least $11bn in taxes if tax was set at 30 per cent.

Powiedział: „Koncentrujemy się na przyciąganiu obcokrajowców, aby zintensyfikowali turystykę i wyciągnęli więcej pieniędzy z kieszeni. Powstrzyma to również odpływ pieniędzy od tajskich graczy i pomoże rządowi zbierać ogromne podatki w trosce o nasze bezpieczeństwo gospodarcze”.

„Zapewnienie różnorodnych atrakcji zapobiegnie tworzeniu się salonów gier hazardowych i zwiększy atrakcyjność branży turystycznej” – dodał.

Chociaż tajska ustawa o grach hazardowych z 1935 r. zakazuje w przypadku większości form hazardu zawiera przepis zezwalający rządowi na wydawanie dekretów lub licencji na określone rodzaje gier i miejsca. 

Committee member Pakornwut Udompipatsakul of the Move Forward Party (MFP) said: “A decision on the casino-entertainment complex project is likely to be made by the next government. It can’t happen within two or three years and most importantly public hearings and even a referendum among locals must be organised.”

The IR’s will include five-star hotels, shopping malls, beauty and spa parlours, amusement parks, zoos, and sports stadiums.

Locals over the age of 21 would have to prove they have had US$15,000 in their bank accounts for the previous six months to gain entry to the casinos.