Senate to conduct comprehensive investigation on casino influence

In a shakeup, Thailand's Senate has formed two subcommittees to investigate the potential pitfalls of building new entertainment complexes with casinos, a controversial government proposal that's stirred quite a controversy.

Firstly, the initial subcommittee will delve into the hidden dangers that the entertainment and gambling project could pose to society, law, our environment, urban planning, the nation's constitution, and growth strategies, and the intricate process of public referendums mandated for significant policy changes under Section 77 of the constitution.

Meanwhile, the second subcommittee will scrutinize the possible economic consequences of this gamble, which could potentially extend to online gambling, currently outlawed in Thailand and deserving of legalization, should it make the cut.

These subcommittees are expected to wrap up their expedition and submit their verdicts and recommendations to the Senate committee before the end of July. Given that the government is planning to send the Entertainment Complex and Casino bill to parliament for deliberation in early July, the Senate committee's findings should be ready to sway the parliamentary discussions.

Senator Veerapun Suvannamai, the Chairman of the Senate's special committee, disclosed that their next meeting, scheduled for May 15, will invite Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former prime ministers, including Thaksin Shinawatra, for heated discussions on the project. The PM might delegate a representative to attend, but the committee desperately hopes for the Prime Minister's personal presence, Senator Veerapun added.

Here's the lowdown on what's at stake: if approved, the entertainment complexes could offer economic benefits through diversification and job creation. However, they also stir concerns about social impacts, regulatory challenges, and political divisions. The Senate's careful evaluation will be instrumental in tiptoeing around these challenges and deciding the fate of the bill.

Insights:

Social Concerns: The increased prevalence of gambling addiction among the population is a significant worry, especially without proper control measures[1][2].
Mixed Public Opinion: The casino element of the bill faces a divided response from the public, as a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) shows[2].
Regulatory Challenges: The Senate could face difficulties in administering stringent screening and regulatory standards to protect vulnerable individuals, given the extensive number of proposed complexes[2].
Economic Diversification: The Entertainment Complex Bill aims to lessen Thailand's reliance on temporary tourism, replacing it with constant economic inflow from integrated entertainment hubs[2].
Job Creation: The development of entertainment complexes could lead to job creation across various sectors[1][2].
Revenue Generation: Casinos could generate substantial revenue through taxes, but the limited casino space in each complex might impact the overall revenue[2].
Political Divisions: The bill has fueled political disagreements, particularly between the Bhumjaithai Party and its allies. This opposing view within the Bhumjaithai Party could prolong the bill's progress and affect the impartiality of the Senate's review[4].

The initial subcommittee, established to investigate the entertainment and gambling project, will explore the potential social impacts, particularly the rise in gambling addiction, and devise suitable control measures to address these concerns.
Pending the Senate committee's findings, the government seeks to allow the legalization of online gambling as part of the casino-and-gambling policy, subject to strict regulation by the subcommittee looking into the economic consequences.
The Senate subcommittee has added the topic of job creation to its exploration of the implementation of casino-games and lotteries, weighing the potential job opportunities against the risks associated with increased gambling.
Senator Veerapun Suvannamai hopes the Senate's impending discussions with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former prime ministers will achieve a more cohesive approach to policy-and-legislation on casino-related issues, ameliorating the current political divisions around the bill.
In the realm of general-news, the Senate's subcommittees are expected to submit their verdicts and recommendations on the casino-gaming proposal by the end of July, impacting the policy-and-legislation surrounding the Entertainment Complex bill and setting the stage for parliamentary debates on the issue.