Most Thais are worried about increased vice and gambling addiction, and doubt whether the casino-entertainment complex project will boost the economy as the government claims, according to a survey by Nida Poll.
The survey asked people to express their lingering or unanswered questions and other concerns over the cabinet’s recent approval of a draft bill allowing the establishment of entertainment complexes that contain casinos. The answers were as follows:
32.60% asked if this policy would lead to a society filled with vice and immorality, and would harm national security.
30.23% questioned whether and how it would truly help improve the country's economy.
28.09% asked what measures the government would take to prevent Thai people from becoming addicted to gambling.
24.89% questioned what measures the government would implement to prevent money laundering.
24.66% asked how the government would prevent the casino-entertainment complex from becoming playground of influential figures and criminal cases.
20.15% inquired whether the government had measures to mitigate social impacts, and what kind.
18.63% asked whether and how casinos would effectively address the problem of illegal gambling dens in the country.
18.55% wondered if it would genuinely attract and increase the number of tourists.
17.48% asked what Thai citizens would gain from this policy.
16.56% questioned whether it would become a funding source for politicians.
14.27% said that they had no lingering questions.
12.90% asked if it would truly create more job opportunities for Thai people.
12.14% questioned how the licensing process could be guaranteed to be transparent, accountable, and free from corruption.
11.98% asked why a public referendum had not been conducted before making the decision.
10.15% questioned whether the government had conducted a feasibility study on this policy.
10.00% asked whether the planned casino-entertainment complexes could actually reduce the number of Thai people going abroad to gamble, and whether the public had been consulted on whether they wanted such complexes in their neighbourhoods.
9.39% questioned how they could trust the fairness, transparency, and accountability of the policy committee and where the entertainment complexes with casinos would be located.
7.40% asked why the policy was being rushed.
5.73% questioned what requirements Thai people must meet to enter the casino.
4.50% asked how the government could ensure that entertainment complexes with casinos would not operate at a loss.
3.51% asked if it was possible to have entertainment complexes without casinos.
3.28% questioned the entry fee for Thai citizens—whether it would be too high or too low.
3.05% asked if there would be provisions for revenue-sharing with the state and communities, besides just licensing fees.
2.21% questioned why all crucial details were not clearly outlined in the draft bill.
2.14% asked whether the state's revenue from licensing fees would be worthwhile.
1.60% wondered why the policy committee was given the authority to determine key details.
Conflict fears
When asked about whether the permission to build a casino-entertainment complex could cause social and political conflicts, the respondents’ answers were as follows:
31.83% thought that it would lead to a new and violent conflict.
31.68% said it would lead to a new conflict, but not a violent one.
26.49% reckoned that it would merely be a matter of different opinions—not really a conflict.
9.16% believed that there would definitely be no problems arising from disagreements or conflicts.
0.84% did not answer or were not interested.
The poll was conducted on Mar 18-20 on 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education and occupations throughout the country.
