President Xi Jinping has weighed in on Thailand’s casino project, cautioning the Southeast Asian country’s prime minister that developing a gambling industry could lead to a spike in criminal activity and social problems, the Bangkok Post reports. Last month, the Thai cabinet gave its approval to a draft bill that would legalise casinos in the kingdom.
Xi’s comments came during Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s state visit to Beijing last week. After her return to Bangkok, Paetongtarn told reporters that she discussed what has been a controversial issue in Thailand with the Chinese leader.
Paetongtarn said Xi had quizzed her on plans for her country’s first casino. She said she explained that it would be a small part (less than 10 percent) of a planned resort that would also feature restaurants, hotels and other entertainment facilities. In response to Xi’s concerns, Paetongtarn said she told him that further studies would be carried out on the project before it got the official go-ahead.
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Her government has argued that regulating and collecting revenue on gambling activities in Thailand was a better option than driving its practitioners underground through criminalisation. “We have to admit that some illegal gambling dens are still operating in the country,” she told reporters. “The money changing hands in those gambling dens does not benefit the country. If they are legalised, revenue can be collected from them and used for national development projects.”
While limited gambling, such as betting on boxing and horse racing, has long been permitted in Thailand, full-blown casinos could dramatically transform the country’s gambling culture. They would also create fresh competition for Macao, which is known as the gambling hub of Asia.
The vast majority of punters in the SAR are visitors from the mainland. Beijing has explicitly warned its citizens to shy away from gambling overseas, but many shrug off the advice and it appears unlikely that Thai casinos would ignore the lucrative mainland market.
[See more: Macao’s gambling industry lacks a comprehensive strategic plan, says expert]
Thailand’s casino bill is currently being reviewed by the Council of State, which has until 6 March to forward it onto the House of Representatives, Inside Asian Gaming reports. The bill calls for a model where resorts would be operated by private companies, though the projects themselves would be joint investments with the government.
International gaming operators that have reportedly expressed interest in Thailand include Las Vegas Sands, Genting Singapore, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Melco Resorts and MGM Resorts (via MGM China).
