Critics warn that entertainment venues allowing casino operations will be used by illegal businesses for money laundering.
Opposition People's Party MP Rangsiman Rome said that improper Chinese businesses might invest in such complexes, and some might launder money through the casinos there.
Mr. Rangsiman stated that the government has not yet proposed any specific measures to address these issues.
He said, "Improper Chinese businesses use Thailand as a base for illegal activities, but the government has no clear measures to combat them."
He added that although the government hopes that the casino entertainment complexes will attract tourists and bring more income to the country, Thailand still faces competition from casinos in Macau and Singapore.
Rangsiman mentioned that Japan will become another competitor, as it plans to build its first casino in Osaka to attract domestic and international tourists.
Natchapol Jittirat, a law lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, also believes that casinos are often used by criminals for money laundering.
He said, "Lax enforcement and preventive measures will lead to adverse consequences. The number of crimes related to money laundering will increase. Thailand will become a haven for criminals."
"Gambling is considered a victimless crime. It also triggers a series of other crimes. Casinos are a business often used as a tool for money laundering."
Sangsit Piriyarangsan, a former senator who studied the legalization of casinos, said that if the government continues to push forward with the casino projects, it might face difficulties.
He said that this is not part of the policy statement required by the constitution to be submitted to the parliament by the government, so pushing this matter might violate the constitution.
As the government's legal department, the State Council had previously expressed concerns about the entertainment complex bill.
According to sources, the committee opposed it because such large projects are unrelated to the government's policy of promoting new tourism.
The parliament also ruled that the bill was unnecessary, as it would duplicate laws concerning hotels, restaurants, and gambling. Moreover, the parliament stated that the public's understanding of entertainment centers does not include casinos.
Thanawat Polvichai, chief advisor at the Economic and Business Forecasting Center of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said that the project is expected to inject about 1 trillion Thai baht into the economy annually, potentially making Thailand a gambling hub comparable to Macau.
On Monday, the cabinet approved the bill in principle, paving the way for the establishment of entertainment centers and the legal operation of casinos within them.
Thai Prime Minister Padongtan Sinawat stated that the entertainment complex bill proposed by the Ministry of Finance will promote tourism and investment in line with the government's policy, while combating the widespread illegal gambling activities.
She insisted that the State Council was not opposed to the bill, but suggested some amendments to reflect the government's tourism policy.
Ms. Padongtan stated that the bill does not require further review by the council and will be submitted to parliament for consideration.
