Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has strongly defended the proposed casino entertainment complexes for Thailand, emphasizing that strict security measures will be implemented to ensure responsible gambling operations.
Her statement was made during the NBT’s Empowering Thais with PM Paetongtarn program, which was reported by the Bangkok Post. The official used the time to criticize political opponents for deliberately creating confusion about the project, which she believes could attract significant foreign investment without using taxpayer money.
“The investment isn’t coming from the state or people’s tax money – it’s private and foreign capital. That means more revenue through taxation, especially from regulated gambling,” Paetongtarn said.
The prime minister explained that the development would follow the “Singapore model” and should not be viewed simply as building a casino. The planned complex would feature hotels, concert venues, convention halls and a world-class, tightly regulated gaming facility.
The prime minister emphasized responsible gambling as the focus, explaining that strict rules, background checks and security standards would be implemented. She clarified that the facility would not be a place where anyone could simply walk in hoping to win millions and leave with their winnings without proper oversight.
She cautioned that political agendas were distorting public perception of the plan. According to Paetongtarn, some critics are weaponizing the issue for political advantage by falsely portraying Thailand as becoming a haven of vice. She pointed to Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and the United States as examples of countries that have successfully used man-made attractions to drive economic growth.
The premier stressed that the entertainment complex represents a crucial opportunity for Thailand to keep pace with global trends, create jobs, and attract year-round tourism, eliminating the concept of a tourism low season. Paetongtarn expressed concern about Thailand being left behind, citing Japan’s plan to transform the Osaka World Expo site into an entertainment complex by 2030 as inspiration. She suggested this project is Thailand’s chance to develop the world-class attractions that citizens often admire abroad.
However, opposition remains strong. On the same day as the broadcast, Thanakorn Komkrit, secretary-general of the Stop Gambling Foundation, warned on Facebook about casinos potentially becoming centers for money laundering.
Citing a 2024 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report on casinos and illicit finance in Southeast Asia, Thanakorn noted that non-financial businesses like casinos often escape strict regulation, making them ideal for money laundering operations.
The report identifies various methods for laundering money through casinos, including converting illicit cash into gambling chips and back again, player collusion, junket tours facilitating cross-border VIP gambling, and layering financial transactions to hide origins.
Thanakorn questioned if Thailand was prepared to deal with this kind of 24/7 laundering convenience, highlighting concerns that without comprehensive regulation, casino legalization in Thailand could enable criminal activity.
Currently the casino bill’s first reading has been postponed to the next legislative session which will start only in July this year. The casino bill has already obtained approval by the cabinet on January 13th.
As reported by AGB, the casino bill faces significant obstacles and could be unlikely to pass Parliament due to opposition from the Bhumjaithai Party. Bhumjaithai Party is a coalition partner in the Paetongtarn administration.
