Under recent significant moves in Thai politics, this Southeast Asian country seems to be embarking on a controversial path.
According to various media reports in Thailand, on January 13th local time, Thai Prime Minister Pei Tongtan announced during a cabinet meeting that the cabinet had in principle approved the draft "Entertainment Venues Operation Law" proposed by the Ministry of Finance.
The introduction of this bill marks the dawn of legalization for Thailand's underground gambling industry and also indicates that entertainment complexes and casinos will emerge like bamboo shoots after a rain, bringing new sources of tax revenue to the Thai treasury.
Prime Minister Pei Tongtan elaborated on the logic behind this decision at a press conference. She pointed out that neighboring countries including Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, and Myanmar have benefited greatly from large gambling complexes. Thailand, lacking legal casinos, not only misses out on this substantial income but also fails to fully utilize its tourism potential.
She cited Singapore as an example, emphasizing that casinos only account for 10% of the business but greatly boost tourism and economic growth. Pei Tongtan expressed her hope that this project would have a similar positive impact on Thailand's economy, revitalizing its tourism, economy, and employment.
However, this decision has sparked widespread controversy in Thai society. Many are concerned that the legalization of gambling will exacerbate social instability and may even lead to more criminal activities.
After all, gambling is often closely associated with organized crimes such as kidnapping and money laundering. Others point out that Thailand is already a country with serious issues of prostitution, gambling, and drugs; legalizing gambling would mean having all three.
As of now, casinos and most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand. The Thai government previously only allowed certain specific gambling activities, such as state-controlled horse racing and the official lottery.
However, "gray industries" such as football betting, underground gaming activities, and lotteries are widespread and persistent. These gray industries not only disrupt market order but also pose many hidden dangers to society.
With the approval of the "Entertainment Venues Operation Law" draft, the Thai government seems determined to push the gambling industry towards legalization. Deputy Finance Minister Julapong optimistically estimates that the legalization of gambling could increase the number of foreign tourists by 5% to 10%, boost tourism revenue by about 120 billion to 220 billion Thai baht (approximately 25.2 billion to 46.3 billion yuan), and create about 9,000 to 15,000 new jobs.
In response to social concerns, Prime Minister Pei Tongtan stated that if everything is transparent and regulated, then the legalization of gambling will be beneficial to the country.
The increased tax revenue will provide additional income for the country, used to improve public welfare and develop the economy. She emphasized that the government will strengthen the regulation of the gambling industry to ensure it operates legally and orderly.
However, the ideal is plump, and reality is skinny. The legalization of gambling is not an overnight success; it involves complex issues across legal, economic, and social dimensions.
The Thai government needs to develop comprehensive laws and regulations to ensure the legality and standardization of the gambling industry; at the same time, it must also strengthen the supervision of the gambling industry to prevent it from becoming a hotbed for crime.
Thailand is using these industries of prostitution, gambling, and drugs to stimulate economic development and boost tourism, claiming it is to protect the people, but it seems more like protecting certain individuals' wallets.
Their main customers come from some developed countries, as well as China's middle class and wealthy groups. In China, prostitution, gambling, and drugs are completely illegal, and government control is very strict. There have been reports of people exploiting loopholes, taking huge sums of money to gamble in Macau, and losing billions overnight.
If Thailand fully liberalizes these activities, it could seriously disrupt our social management.
That is to say, the Thai people are at a point where they are making money without any scruples. The United States also has casinos, but the US has the support of high-tech industries. What about Thailand? They merely want to develop themselves through these means, which is rather short-sighted.
It is worth mentioning that Pei Tongtan's father, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin, has long been considered an advocate for the legalization of gambling. This family background also brings more attention and controversy to Pei Tongtan's decisions.
Some question whether her decisions are influenced by family factors and whether they truly align with Thailand's national interests and long-term development.
For the Thai government, the legalization of gambling is undoubtedly a huge challenge. On one hand, they hope to regulate the market order, increase tax revenue, and promote tourism development through legalization; on the other hand, they must face the social risks and challenges that come with it.
How to balance these two interests will be a focus of the Thai government's future work.
In this storm of gambling legalization, the name Mawaddy is also frequently mentioned. Mawaddy, a key town on the Thailand-Myanmar border, has long been a hub for illegal activities such as gambling. The area is filled with various underground casinos, illegal transactions, and criminal activities, posing a major hidden danger to Thai society.
Now, with the Thai government's decision to legalize gambling, some worry that illegal gambling activities in Mawaddy will become even more rampant. After all, in the context of legalization, some criminals might take the opportunity to disguise illegal gambling activities as legal businesses.
This will not only disrupt market order but also pose greater risks and hidden dangers to society.
