A Thai National Assembly extraordinary committee tasked with looking into the possibility of legalising casinos in the country has set up five sub-committees. The information was provided by Phada Worakanont, a spokeswoman for the committee, as quoted by the Bangkok Post newspaper.
The appointment of the sub-committee members needs to be endorsed by National Assembly President Chuan Leekpai, the newspaper reported on Friday.
Thailand’s House of Representatives – the lower chamber in the National Assembly – voted on December 2 to establish a 60-member “extraordinary committee” to review the topic of legalising casinos in the country. It is anticipated the group would complete its study in 90 days.
One of the five groups established by the extraordinary committee will focus on legal matters and collection of gaming tax and revenue. A second sub-committee will discuss potential locations to host a casino resort in Thailand and conditions for opening such a complex.
Thailand’s capital Bangkok would be an optimal destination for a casino resort if that nation decides to legalise such business, two casino consultants recently told GGRAsia.
The remaining three groups set under the extraordinary committee will focus respectively on: investment-related matters and the potential format for a casino resort scheme in Thailand; issues linked to casino business operations; and potential negative impacts from legalising casinos in the nation.
In her comments to Bangkok Post, Ms Phada said the extraordinary committee would encourage broad public participation regarding its works.
Legalising casino gambling has been a subject of controversy in the Buddhist kingdom in recent years. Several of the Southeast Asia nations neighbouring Thailand – namely Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia – have legal gambling venues.
