A senior Thai government official says the THB50 million (US$1.5 million) bank deposit qualification for locals wishing to gamble in any casino complexes that might be set up in the country, will stay in a draft bill to be submitted by the country’s cabinet to the National Assembly (pictured).
Deputy finance minister Julapun Amornvivat said – as cited by the Bangkok Post newspaper on Thursday – it would be up to the assembly to decide whether the financial qualification should be removed.
On Monday the same news outlet had reported the minister as saying the condition would be struck from the draft law for casino legalisation. That was on the basis that too many among Thailand’s 70 million population would be excluded from entering such gaming venues.
The economic qualification had been added by the country’s legal advisory body, the Council of State, when it reviewed the Entertainment Complex Bill, as the enabling measure is known.
The proposed entry level for local casinos has the potential to shift the economic focus of the country’s casino-legalisation push, said a number of observers in comments to GGRAsia. In the view of several, it could dampen investment interest among international casino brands.
Thursday’s news that the condition would stay for now, emerged on the same day that The Nation newspaper reported protests had been staged outside the Ministry of Finance in the Thai capital Bangkok, against the bill.
That news outlet said protesters had been camping outside another location – Government House – the building housing the country’s cabinet office – since Sunday morning.
Those protestors were said to be led by three groups: the Network of Students and People for Thailand’s Reform, the Dharma Army, and the Centre of People for Monarchy Protection.
The Nation newspaper said the protesters argued that while Mr Julapun had claimed the casinos were aimed at attracting foreign tourists, the planned removal of the THB50-million condition showed that the government was using the idea of boosting foreign tourism as an excuse to legalise casinos for Thai gamblers.
