The Thai government reported that a survey in March found that 80% of residents support the construction of entertainment centers with casinos. A former MP questioned the survey results.
On March 27, Thai cabinet members passed the "Entertainment Complex Act," which will legalize casino resorts in the country. The bill is currently under consideration in Parliament.
A public opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration in January showed that many Thai residents oppose legal casinos, fearing that casinos would lead to gambling addiction and an increase in crime rates. Nearly 33% of people worry that casinos could jeopardize national security, and over 30% questioned whether casinos could really boost the national economy. About 17% are concerned that the casino industry could make politicians richer than ordinary people.
However, the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) reported that a recent public consultation period showed overwhelming support for the bill. 80% of respondents approved of the plan.
Now, former Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn says that the FPO's results are at least questionable. According to the Bangkok Post, the survey showed an astonishingly similar level of support across various aspects.
The survey showed that out of 71,303 respondents, 57,500 gave almost identical answers, with 80.6% to 80.75% of people answering "yes" to all eight questions.
"Even from Mars, this result is unbelievable," Somchai said, "but the cabinet believes it."
Temptation: Billions of dollars in revenue and taxes
As Thailand strives to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, legal casinos could attract billions of dollars in international investment and boost tourism. It would also create tens of thousands of new jobs.
Citi analysts estimated in a November report that Thailand's casino gross gaming revenue (GGR) "could reach $9.1 billion (310 billion Thai baht/6.9 billion British pounds/8.2 billion euros) after full development. This would make Thailand surpass Singapore," ranking third, only behind Macau and Las Vegas.
The industry would also provide a lifeline for the government, generating up to $1.16 billion in new tax revenue.
Four locations have been selected as potential sites for the construction of entertainment centers: Chiang Mai, Phuket, Chonburi, and Bangkok.
Petition: Focus on deadly earthquakes, not casinos
People's Party MP Parit Wacharasindhu warned that the government will try to expedite the passage of the bill before the current session ends on April 10. "Let's see what methods the government will use to push the casino bill ahead of other bills," he said.
Parit also stated that feasibility studies should be completed before the bill passes through Parliament, rather than after, as suggested by Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat.
On April 3, the Thai Nation newspaper reported that 189 former senators opposed the passage of the bill. They raised common concerns: the risk of addiction and other crimes, uncertain economic benefits, and a lack of transparency in the process.
They called on legislators to focus on recovery after recent earthquakes rather than hastily approving a controversial casino bill.
On March 28, an 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck neighboring Myanmar. The International Red Cross told MSN that the level of destruction was "unseen in Asia for over a century." Subsequently, a series of minor earthquakes occurred in Thailand, one of which caused a high-rise building in Bangkok to collapse.
The death toll in both countries has now exceeded 3,000 people.
