Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai and Phuket will soon boast new entertainment hubs that include casinos—a move aimed at catering to both tourists and locals. This isn’t coming out of the blue; about two months back, the government approved a bill that basically paves the way for legalized gambling entertainment.
Nikom Boonwiset, who helps steer the project (he's the special committee’s deputy chairman), pointed out that picking these major tourist magnets makes a lot of sense.
Even though most gambling is technically illegal in Thailand, there’s plenty of underground betting, not to mention that state-run horse racing and the official lottery are allowed. Nikom—a member of parliament from the ruling Pheu Thai party—mentioned that the project, estimated at around 500 billion baht (roughly 15 billion euros), should draw in something like 50 million visitors every year and create around 40,000 new jobs. In most cases, you might wonder if these figures are realistic, yet the IMF even forecasts that by 2025, Thailand’s GDP could hit $545.3 billion.
Interestingly, less than 10% of each complex will house a casino; the rest will feature a five-star hotel, a shopping mall, an amusement park, a stadium, and a convention as well as an exhibition center. Neighboring projects in Singapore and the Philippines have seen similar setups attract swarms of tourists.
Not everyone is thrilled, though—last week, protesters gathered outside the Finance Ministry and government headquarters, demanding the casino elements be scrapped. The bill was supposed to be broached at a Cabinet meeting but got delayed while officials gather public comments until mid-March.