Opponents Blast Government Lottery Office Over Roi Et Casino Plan

[webfact]

Opponents blast GLO over Roi Et casino plan

The Nation

The northeastern casino project floated by the Government Lottery Office would open the door to legalised gambling, which would only debase society and deprive the poor, conservatives and NGOs said yesterday.

"Such an attitude reflects the nature of authorities, which rely on easy money from the poor but fail to collect more taxes from the rich, through various methods such as progressive tax rates, or a land or inheritance tax," said Thanakorn Khomkris, a leader of an antivice network.

"These are efficient tools that Thai authorities choose not to utilise," he said.

The GLO's "moneyhungry" culture of exploiting lowincome people through biweekly lotteries would only deprave Thailand, he said.

Kittiwat Sutthirak of Ramkhamhaeng University’s Laws for Society group said the casino idea had been prepared and was now being showcased to the public through a multistep process involving politicians, companies and progambling academics.

The gambling parlour video leaked in Parliament, the closure of dens and the arrests of Thai punters were publicised with the intent of leading the public into agreeing with legalised gambling and casinos, he said.

Amkha Saengngarm, head of a culture and tourism group in Roi Et, whose Thung Kula Ronghai plain was designated as the site of the governmentsubsidised, Bt10billion entertainment complex, said legalised gambling would create social problems among young people for generations to come.

The plain is a rare fertile ecosystem in the Northeast and a famous source of Thailand’s authentic jasmine rice. A Facebook page opposing the use of the plain as the site of the casino has been put up with many people signing in and vowing to campaign against the proposal.

Meanwhile, police searched a golf driving range on Soi Union Auction - which Rak Thailand MP Chuwit Kamolvisit claimed was the projected site of a new gambling den - and found nothing amiss, but only 28 illegal migrant construction workers.

Police said they had been already aware of unusually tight security at the driving range and Chuwit’s public outcry coincided with their concern.

Pol Colonel Phatchara Bunyasit, who led the 100man raid, said the 20 private security guards were only protecting construction materials.

The officer said the blueprint of the Number One range showed that it was undergoing renovation as a massage parlour, with karaoke rooms and a pub.

Owners will be summoned to clarify with police exactly what type of entertainment would be provided, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-09-30

[whybother]

Pol Colonel Phatchara Bunyasit, who led the 100man raid, said the 20 private security guards were only protecting construction materials.

So, they're allowed to raid a possible den that they don't know is there, but they can't raid a den that they know is there?

[DP25]

I would have thought that if they were going to open a casino, it would have been done like in Singapore. Aimed entirely at foreigners with locals either not allowed to enter or having to buy an expensive day pass.

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et to go to a Casino. The only real options if it were aimed at exploiting foreign gamblers would be Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket or maybe Samui. If it's in Roi Et it sounds more like it will be aimed at exploiting poor Thais for the benefit of the rich

[blazes]

I would have thought that if they were going to open a casino, it would have been done like in Singapore. Aimed entirely at foreigners with locals either not allowed to enter or having to buy an expensive day pass.

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et to go to a Casino. The only real options if it were aimed at exploiting foreign gamblers would be Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket or maybe Samui. If it's in Roi Et it sounds more like it will be aimed at exploiting poor Thais for the benefit of the rich

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et period.

[tommet]

I would have thought that if they were going to open a casino, it would have been done like in Singapore. Aimed entirely at foreigners with locals either not allowed to enter or having to buy an expensive day pass.

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et to go to a Casino. The only real options if it were aimed at exploiting foreign gamblers would be Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket or maybe Samui. If it's in Roi Et it sounds more like it will be aimed at exploiting poor Thais for the benefit of the rich

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et period.

Well in fact I and quite a number of foreigners live in Roi Et province - and in my case, in the southern area not far from Thong Kula.

And so I can say the idea of putting a tourist casino there is pure idiocy. Did they throw a dart at a map when they dreamed this plan up? You couldn't find a more rural and out-of-the-way place. (Although there is an famous "elephant village" not too far away from there, in Surin province, perhaps that was what prompted the selection of Thong Kula.)

When I read this I thought it must be a joke. Although I would appreciate it if they would fix up the roads around here, just in case

Edited September 30, 2011 by tommet

[plumeria]

A fixed road is NOT worth a casino.

Casinos do all bad and no good anywhere.

[kimamey]

I would have thought that if they were going to open a casino, it would have been done like in Singapore. Aimed entirely at foreigners with locals either not allowed to enter or having to buy an expensive day pass.

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et to go to a Casino. The only real options if it were aimed at exploiting foreign gamblers would be Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket or maybe Samui. If it's in Roi Et it sounds more like it will be aimed at exploiting poor Thais for the benefit of the rich

No foreigner is going to go to Roi Et period.

Well in fact I and quite a number of foreigners live in Roi Et province - and in my case, in the southern area not far from Thong Kula.

And so I can say the idea of putting a tourist casino there is pure idiocy. Did they throw a dart at a map when they dreamed this plan up? You couldn't find a more rural and out-of-the-way place. (Although there is an famous "elephant village" not too far away from there, in Surin province, perhaps that was what prompted the selection of Thong Kula.)

When I read this I thought it must be a joke. Although I would appreciate it if they would fix up the roads around here, just in case

I think Mahasarakham is more out of the way but your point is still valid