In what would be a key hurdle to the progress of the integrated resorts bill in Thailand, the Bangkok Post is reporting that the special committee tasked with debating the future of the bill has urged the government to hold a referendum.
The committee went as far as to state that pursuing the bill without such a referendum could be a breach of the constitution, raising eyebrows amongst stakeholders in the country.
The bill has caused a stir amongst opposition parties, with critics warning of its social impact, especially with many of those vehemently against the progress of casinos in Thailand being on the committee.
Calls for a referendum land as the committee is undertaking a 180-day study of the Thai Government’s plans to implement an Entertainment Complex Bill, establishing regulated land-based casinos in the country.
At the centre of discussion for the first subcommittee is examining possible adverse effects of the entertainment complex and casino project on society, legal proceedings, the environment, urban planning, the constitution, national development strategies, and the process of conducting a public referendum.
Furthermore, the second subcommittee will take a closer look at the potential economic consequences of the bill progressing and the legalisation of casinos in the sector.
As part of the project, the remit of the second subcommittee could also extend to online gambling – a vertical which currently remains illegal in Thailand.
This comes as there have been murmurings of the legalisation of iGaming for the Thai market, largely fuelled by the efforts of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her father, the former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Concluding the process, with a potential view to progressing the bill – the subcommittees are expected to report their findings before the end of July, a date that will coincide with the expected date for the bill to be presented to the Thai parliament at the beginning of July.
