Bets are being taken on whether rumors of Thailand legalizing gambling will become reality this time. His government is not indifferent to the fact that, in recent years, casinos have become a vacuum cleaner for Chinese money. Even more significant is the change of prime minister, now the real estate businessman Srettha Thavisin, from the party of Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecommunications magnate who was removed from power under the pretext, among other things, of having launched a lottery illegally.
The debate on the legalization of gambling, after a ban that dates back to the 1930s, began two decades ago. The discussion was reopened in 2017, with a general back in power, without coming to fruition. Finally, at the beginning of this year, a commission of sixty deputies prepared a green paper for the legalization of certain bets – on stock market indices, sports competitions and so on up to eight different areas – in predetermined locations and under certain conditions. Thai players, for example, would have to prove that they have more than 12,000 euros in their checking account.
The Buddhist clergy opposes what they consider one of the capital sins, but so do civic associations. However, the sector seems to know where to put its chips to win. The firms that have so far shown interest in pulling strings are MGM Resorts and Las Vegas Sands, from the United States, and Galaxy, owned by Hong Kong's fourth fortune, Lui Che Woo. Last year, in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok, the police raided two apartments owned by Chinese citizens who were making 100 million baht a month thanks to six illegal gambling establishments. So the legalization of gambling would, in reality, be its regularization.
According to speculation, five locations are being considered, of which only Bangkok and the wild beach of Pattaya would be confirmed. On the southern coast, Phuket, Krabi and Phang-Nga are being considered, while in the north the doubt would be between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai and, on the northeastern border, between Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani and Khon Kaen.
It should be said that the taste for gambling is inherent to Chinese tradition, but it is prohibited in the People's Republic of China. This, however, protected by the “one country, two systems” policy, left the door open to the game after the reintegration of Macau. Xi Jinping's accession to power, however, tightened the screws on the former Portuguese colony. Not in vain, Macau had moved five times more money than Las Vegas.
Beijing has decided that Macau will abandon the monoculture of gambling to become a mecca of entertainment and tourism. Something that will not happen overnight, but is already inflating the sails of existing casinos in neighboring countries and those that do not yet exist. Thailand sees an opportunity there, without losing sight of the possible unwanted effects among its population. Hence, the location of future casinos in border areas or in areas with international airports is privileged.
Xi's “regenerative” turn already shifted an increasing part of the game to Laos and Cambodia years ago. In the first case, giving wings to a special economic zone that already existed, around the casino of a shady Chinese tycoon, Zhao Wei. The lavish Kings Romans is located in the same Golden Triangle, a stone's throw from Thailand and Burma. An area known for all types of illegal trafficking, something that has raised many alarms. In Cambodia, casinos have changed the face of Sihanoukville. This coastal town now has more than eighty casinos, mostly Chinese owned. In addition to Phnom Penh, the other major gambling center in Cambodia is a town bordering Thailand, Poipet. A daily train from Bangkok runs within a few kilometers and there are also special buses.
Proponents of legalized gambling in Thailand believe a lenient policy that brings in tax revenue would be best, with a proposed rate of 30%. Now, they say, is the time to bet big.
