Bangkok: Chulapong has voiced concerns over the proportion and number of casinos in the proposed Integrated Entertainment Act, suggesting that clear specifications should be included in the legislation. He argued against using Singapore as a comparative model, humorously questioning whether comedians would need the Prime Minister as their chairman if such analogies are applied.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chulalongkorn Yokes, a Prachachon Party MP, addressed the rumored Entertainment Complex Business Act, which is reportedly being drafted by the Council of State for the Cabinet's consideration. Mr. Chulaphan Amornvivat, the Minister of Finance, previously indicated that the draft law might not specify the proportion of casinos within entertainment complexes. Mr. Chulapong disagreed, advocating for limitations on the number of casinos in the initial phase.
The draft law diverges from Singapore's approach, where casinos are governed by the Casino Control Act and integrated resorts without a specified proportion of casino area. Singapore's law primarily facilitates casino operations, whereas Thailand's draft aims to integrate casinos within broader entertainment venues, a reverse approach to Singapore's model.
Mr. Chulapong highlighted three main objections to the draft: First, if the law allows the Policy Committee to determine casino area proportions without explicit guidelines, foreign investors might exploit this to allocate excessive space for casinos, undermining the law's tourism-centric focus. Second, unlike Singapore's strict limit of two casinos, Thailand's draft lacks a cap, granting the Policy Committee substantial power over the number and location of casinos. Third, he questioned the necessity of having the Prime Minister chair the policy committee, contrasting it with Singapore's Gambling Regulatory Authority, which operates independently of political leadership.
Mr. Chulapong concluded by emphasizing the importance of defining the casino-to-area ratio within the bill to uphold the law's focus on entertainment rather than gambling. He suggested initially restricting the number of casinos to mitigate potential widespread impacts.