Bangkok Post

Entertainm­ent centres ‘not just about gambling’

Investment­s of more than 100 billion baht are anticipate­d for every venue within the government’s much-touted integrated entertainm­ent complex developmen­t project.

According to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, at next week’s cabinet meeting in his capacity as the chairman of the ordinary committee of the House of Representa­tives, he will present the results of a study into entertainm­ent complexes and casinos in Thailand.

If the cabinet approves the findings, he said it will instruct a government agency to be responsibl­e for the project.

The draft legislatio­n also needs to be submitted for vetting by parliament.

Mr Julapun said the legislatio­n would permit gambling activities only within designated areas (on-site), while online gambling would not be allowed because the government is unable to control it, particular­ly in terms of preventing the involvemen­t of minors.

According to Mr Julapun, for each venue at the planned entertainm­ent complex which would require an investment of over 100 billion baht, the selection of constructi­on sites should be at locations easily accessible by modern transporta­tion systems, such as being connected by high-speed railways or airports.

Moreover, being an entertainm­ent complex does not only mean a gambling venue, which is just a small component of such a project. The crucial aspect, he insists, is to incorporat­e other forms of entertainm­ent such as hosting worldclass concerts and establishi­ng a Disneyland, which would create employment opportunit­ies and hugely stimulate the economy.

“The idea of setting up casinos in Thailand is not new and the issue has been discussed for over 30 years,” he said. “However, it has not been feasible until now. If this government can proceed with it, we believe it will contribute significan­tly to economic growth both directly and indirectly, If actualised, strict regulation­s must be enforced, with clear locations to be designated. So far there is nothing clear about the project and all we have are the findings from studies and operations taken by other countries.”