The secretary-general of Thailand’s Council of State, Pakorn Nilprapunt, said Wednesday a recent revision to the draft entertainment complex bill that would require Thai nationals to have TBH50 million (US$1.5 million) in their bank accounts is designed to prevent locals from gambling.
The revision was unveiled earlier this week after the draft bill was put back out for public feedback and could significantly impact how the global investment community views the Thailand opportunity, with Pakorn stating that the nation’s legal casinos should largely be reserved for foreigners.
“We don’t want the public to be bogged down by this gambling fanfare,” Pakorn told The Bangkok Post.
“[The entertainment complexes] are man-made tourism attractions; that’s the focus, not the gambling. I think if we impose strict measures, we might be able to prevent Thais from entering and becoming gambling addicts.”
Pakorn said the Council of State had also added some minor details to the casino approval and licensing process and would now wait for the public feedback period to conclude on 1 March.
Such feedback would be considered during the second deliberation stage, he explained, although it would ultimately be up to the government to determine the bill’s fate.
A final draft is due to be presented to the cabinet next month, according to The Bangkok Post.
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