A Major Step
A major step has been taken in the process of legalising casinos in Thailand, with The Council of State, the country’s legal agency, publishing the Casino Bill draft for public feedback.
The Thai public will have until August 18th to respond to the bill.
Public Comment
The draft will be available until August 18th, during which time the public can share their thoughts on the development. The initial rules outlined in the draft propose 30-yers licenses for casinos, with operators being reviewed every five years.
The Tahi Prime Minister, SretthaThavisin, will chair a policy committee responsible for facilitating the development of regulation and ensuring a smooth launch of the market. A new government body, the Comprehensive Entertainment Commission, will then take charge of the market's day-to-day management.
A government committee consisting of several high-ranking officials, including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Tourism and Sports, will oversee the early stages of the Thai Casinos project.
Wide-Ranging Support
The proposal to introduce legal casinos to the Thai market has received widespread support from positions of power within the Thai government. Both the Prime Minister and his deputy, Somsak Thepsuthin, have publicly supported the bill. They support the country having more oversight over the gambling industry and the proposal for better tax collection.
The bill has also received support from the House of Representatives, which is made up of 500 members. Reports suggest that casinos, with additional entertainment complexes, could improve by Thai tourism by up to TBH12bn.
The country will look to compete with its Southeast Asian neighbours, with the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam already pulling in tourists for their casinos. The bill will be withdrawn from the public on August 18th, when the next stage of the process will begin. There is no solid timeline as to when the bill is expected to be legalised.
