Thai opposition MP Parit Wacharasindhu recently publicly criticized the government's policy of promoting the legalization of casinos, pointing out that the policy has serious issues in terms of economic logic, social risk control, and policy transparency. He questioned the government's proposed entertainment complex bill for its tendency to "substitute assumptions for data," and called for the government to remain honest and pragmatic in promoting this issue.
Parit, a spokesperson for the People's Party, shared his views at a parliamentary panel meeting via social media. He bluntly stated that the government's expected revenue from legal casinos is overly optimistic, especially in terms of local participation and tax revenue estimates, which lack a realistic basis.
One forecast by a private institution claims that the legalization of casinos could bring in tax revenues of up to 50 billion Thai Baht (approximately 1.5 billion USD) annually. However, Parit believes that this figure contradicts key provisions in the draft bill: the bill stipulates that only Thai citizens who have had at least 50 million Thai Baht in deposits in the past six months are eligible to participate in casino activities.
He pointed out that fewer than ten thousand people nationwide meet this threshold, which is completely inconsistent with the expected high participation and massive tax revenue, indicating a structural logic error in policy design. He criticized, "On one hand, the government proposes high tax targets, while on the other, it sets extremely high participation thresholds, which is clearly contradictory."
Furthermore, Parit expressed concerns about the government's measures in anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, crime fighting, and preventing gambling addiction. He believes that there is currently a lack of strong supporting mechanisms to address the social issues that may arise from the legalization of casinos.
He also pointed out that the government's communication of policy goals and implementation plans is "repetitive and vague," which is eroding public trust in the reform process. He worries that the government is trying to "appease the opposition" while privately pushing for broader local participation, rather than building consensus through public debate.
Parit called on the government to re-examine the bill and develop a more open, transparent, and balanced policy framework. He stated that any attempt to legalize gambling should prioritize social safety and encourage responsible investment and regulation to maximize national interests.
