The President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp, Patrick Dumont, has highlighted the concerns of international investors around Thailand’s stalled push to legalize casino gaming, noting the need to ensure “regulatory clarity” and “long-term vision”.
He also said authorities “need to move more decisively” according to comments made in an interview with mainstream Thai media outlet The Nation this week. The Nation spoke with Dumont at the groundbreaking ceremony for the US$8 billion expansion of LVS’s Singapore resort, Marina Bay Sands.
Asked if LVS still viewed Thailand as an attractive opportunity, Dumont replied, “Thailand has the ingredients – culture, hospitality, location. But to attract serious investment, you need a framework that gives confidence – regulatory clarity, long-term vision and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”
On suggestions by some Thai politicians that entertainment complexes should be built without the casino component, Dumont reiterated that it is the revenues generated by the casino that make it possible to develop the ultra-luxury facilities that such complexes demand – as evidenced by the company’s significant investment into Marina Bay Sands.
“Trying to build an integrated resort without a casino is like building a hotel without Wi-Fi – it may look attractive, but it lacks what makes it competitive,” he said.
Pointing to MICE facilities as an example, he added, “MICE isn’t just about events – it’s about ecosystems where business, hospitality and entertainment converge. Thailand could absolutely be part of that story, but it needs to move decisively.”
Thailand’s push to legalize casino gaming within large-scale entertainment complexes has seemingly hit a dead end for now after the government voted to withdraw its Entertainment Complex Bill from the current parliamentary agenda.
This comes, ironically, at a time when lawmakers have been discussing how to address a worrying decline in Chinese tourism that has seen overall visitor numbers decline by 5% year-on-year as of most recent numbers released on 5 July. Chinese arrivals are down by 34% compared to pre-pandemic levels, mainly on safety concerns.
The Nation, which is one of Thailand’s largest media outlets with multiple brands in both Thai and English languages, offered some notable comments of its own following its attendance of the MBS groundbreaking.
The MBS IR2 expansion, it said, “provides a mirror reflecting what the kingdom could become if it chooses bold vision over prolonged hesitation.
“The project demonstrates that success in high-value tourism isn’t accidental; it results from strategic planning, decisive policy implementation and sustained commitment to excellence.
“The contrast is stark: while Singapore breaks ground on its next tourism milestone, Thailand remains mired in debates about fundamental policy frameworks. The opportunity cost of this delay compounds daily as regional competitors advance and global travel patterns evolve.
“The moment for reflection has arrived. The question remains whether Thailand will act with the urgency and decisiveness that today’s competitive landscape demands, or whether it will continue to watch from the sidelines as Singapore and other regional players shape the future of Southeast Asian tourism.
“The mirror reflects possibility. The choice of what to do with that reflection rests entirely with Thailand.”
