Thailand’s finance minister Sommai Phasee has given conditional support to the idea of having a casino industry in the country.
He said it would be acceptable as long as such facilities were part of a tourist resort with shopping, entertainment and a convention centre. This follows reports last week that a minority group on Thailand’s National Reform Council was in favour of introducing casinos.
The minister said such facilities would be best operated through the “meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions” format where visitors and families could use the various services, including casinos, to “relax themselves.”
He said there could be ways to prevent “poor people” from entering the casinos,and cited the SGD200 (US$150) charge per 24-hour period imposed in Singapore on its citizens and permanent residents for entry to casinos there.
