On Thursday, the cabinet in Thailand approved the draft law for the casino bill which could see major entertainment complexes open up in the country to attract tourists.
The latest draft has had a few changes though, with a bank deposit now required. According to the Bangkok Post, the newest draft will ‘significantly limit how many Thais can go to casinos’ as there will be an entry fee of 5,000 baht and proof of at least 50 million baht in bank deposits.
This comes after several reports have previously suggested an entry fee may not be brought in, but rather evidence of a three-year tax history.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra reportedly told the media on Thursday that details of the law were not yet final, as parliament would have the final say.
Now, the bill will be sent to the House of Representatives. If it goes through successfully there, it’ll then advance to the Senate for approval and then His Majesty the King. There is still some way to go before it is completely approved.
What is the Thailand casino bill?
Under the new plan, Singapore-style entertainment complexes would be introduced into the country with these housing casinos, hotels, conference centers, and more.
In mid-March, four locations for where these would be placed were named and they include Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.
These places are major tourist areas in the country, with there being hopes that these venues will play a big role in boosting tourism.
Since the announcement of the plans, they have remained controversial as most gambling in Thailand is illegal. The only exceptions are the official lottery and state-run horse races.
A number of protestors have made their feelings known in recent times, with anti-gambling protestors having gathered at Government House on Thursday – the same day that the cabinet was discussing the bill.
There are many that appear to support the bill though as a public consultation took place between February 28 and March 14 with over 70,000 taking part. It was revealed that almost 80% of participants are in favor of their introduction.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
