A bill to legalize casino gaming in Thailand is scheduled to be deliberated by the House of Representatives next Thursday 28 March, according to local media reports.
In an update published by The Nation and citing comments by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, it was revealed that the latest version of the bill – compiled following completion of a secondary study by a House committee this month – comprises 10 chapters and 68 articles. If approved by the House, it will “immediately” be submitted to the Cabinet for approval, Amornvivat explained.
“The final decision will depend on the Cabinet,” he added.
Amornvivat has previously described the study by the 60-member committee as being comprehensive in its nature. It’s understood that recommendations contained in the bill include a provision that any new integrated casino resort development “must not be adjacent to Bangkok”.
As previously reported by IAG, the 60-member committee, established after Thailand appointed the Pheu Thai Party’s Srettha Thavisin as its Prime Minister under a new coalition government in August, is different from the one formed under the previous government and which compiled a report proposing the establishment of integrated resorts with casinos in various locations across the country.
That report recommended the development of legalized casinos within broader entertainment complexes in up to five locations nationwide, with Bangkok and Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) – which includes the likes of Pattaya and Rayong – named as the most suitable locations.
It also called for casino areas to comprise no more than 5% of the total IR floor space, with the remainder to incorporate attractions such as five-star hotels, shopping malls, beauty and spa parlours, amusement parks, zoos, and indoor and outdoor sports stadiums.
RelatedPosts
