Thailand Must Consider Legalised Gaming Soon, Tourism Forum Hears

[monkeycountry]

It will be the utter ruin of the people in this country. The urge to gamble is simply unbelievable. Stand by to pick up lots of cheap plots of land and houses if this goes ahead.

The only reason not to have casinos is because most thais think like you and have zero imagination. Easy ways to avoid what you describe:

1. Open casinos, but only allow foreigners to gamble. This would create lots of jobs for thais, and lots of tax revenue for the government, and not a single thai would lose any money.

2. Open casinos, but only allow foreigners and rich thais to gamble. Rich thais will gamble at casinos abroad anyway, so they might as well lose their money in thailand instead of abroad. At least this way part of the lost money will go to the Thai government as tax revenue, some of which will be redistributed to the poor, which should make everyone happy. Determining who is rich can easily be done by issuing a gambling license to rich thais based on an inspection of their assets, income, debt, taxes etc.

The problem with your last option is that I expect that many rich Thais hide most of their income so they don't pay tax. Showing how much they really have would be a gamble in itself as they might suddenly have a tax bill.

I agree, but how is that a problem? Are we supposed to assist the rich evade taxes? I guess the rich will simply have to choose between not paying tax and being able to gamble legally!

[MaiThaiMai]

What are the odds of gambling being legalised?

I'll offer you 2/5

[wotaplonker]

funtastic!! get those great hotel/casino complexes built in Pattraya/Jomtien/Phuket, etc wow

just think of the top class hookers they would attract, show me the money Baby!!!

ps i love roulette

[chiangmaikelly]

Great idea having a legitimate casino would be nice to have an occasional night out gambling for a bit of fun and hopefully it would be run and controlled by a proper legal established casino company, not by a few Thai billionaires who just want to use it for laundering money around the world, I don’t think it will be bad thing for normal Thai people because they will soon learn that you lose money in a casino you don’t make money, casinos are for making money for the owners not giving money away.

"I don’t think it will be bad thing for normal Thai people because they will soon learn that you lose money in a casino you don’t make money"

I don't think a single Thai, or any other gambler will ever learn that lesson. First of all the average thai has no clue about math or statistics. If they play the lottery 100 times at 100 baht each time and then eventually win 1,000 baht, then they consider themselves extremely lucky (which I guess they are :-). Further, they have no idea about the odds of winning to begin with, which may be why the odds at the lotteries are so bad. At least the casino odds are much better. They believe their bike or car license plate or last nights dream is a lucky number, and obviously the odds of winning increase substantially if you gamble on that number. Not to mention that if you keep playing the same number over and over each month, then the odds obviously increase each time, and after having lost hundreds of times, you are almost guaranteed to win next time!

Secondly, gambling is addictive, and for some people the only shot at a way out of trouble, so even if they do learn the lesson, they will do it anyway!

99% of Thais gamble now. Who you trying to kid?

[hellodolly]

Well I wonder what they are talking about when they say quality tourist. If gambling is what is attracting them I would venture to say They are not a quality tourist.

At least if I had a doughtier they would be way down on the list of people I would choose for her.

Had a friend once who was married to a gambler. He said he didn't know if his kitchen table was going to be there when he got home.

A quality tourist will come here to see the country and experience some of it's culture.

A gambler will come here to gamble.

[Ian Curtis]

Personally, means zero to me, casino's are boring and a waste of time

but I think they should legalize gambling for a few reasons

1- good for tourism - check macau and vegas

2- Will help Thalland achieve their goal of being #1 on most corrupt list

3- Will ensure poor people stay poor and votes can be bought for casino chips

4- Will attract more dubious people to Thailand and will bring all their dubious money with them

Than again ............. maybe ..............

They could do the same as Singapore. Local citizens have to pay S$100 (US$80) a day or S$2,000 annually to enter the casinos. Foreigners enter free.

Good idea. Thailand could do something similar for entry to national parks etc.

[KuhnPaen]

They have "little brother watching little brother". My neighbor in Sutthisan was having a friendly card game in his room with 4 other guys, and some cranky old woman in the building ratted him out to the BIB. The police raided his little game and carried him off to jail. Later, I heard that the old woman got 500 baht for each of the guys who got arrested. They would have to pay 5-10,000 baht each to get out of it--giving her a nice little %. This kind of thing happens fairly often, with the BIB raiding not only organized games, but friendly little get togethers as well. Even my GF's 8 year old cousins know how to play "Kuu" or "Pok Deng"--I know because I take all their money every time I play against them. Note--little kids are easy to beat at cards. When they cry that you took all their food money--just ignore them like the Thais do.

[JeffreyWitty]

Maybe the answer for Thailand is to have Casino's the way they do it in South Korea.

Here in SK, gambling is also banned/illegal - for the locals.

The one exception is, as a passport holder from another country (and yes they do check), you can gamble in the casino's all you want. Granted there are few casino's in South Korea - I only know of 3 of them and all 3 are in Seoul.

It's an option the Thai government could consider - keep the legalized gamble available to foreignors only.

(In theory this works - but even over here, the wealthy locals get dual citizenship with the USA and use their USA passports to get in the casinos.)

[rkidlad]

It's not about Thais entering foreign only casinos. It's about how if you make it legal for foreigners it will just create another black market where Thais will be able to gamble through foreigners. It wouldn't be that difficult to find a way around it. The casinos would in fact make it very easy for foreigners and Thais to do this because of how much money it would bring. Thais could still be gambling and technically not breaking the law.

Again, this is not my point. My point is making it legal for foreigners and illegal for Thais defeats the purpose. Make it completely legal for all and then the money coming in and out can be monitored. Don't create another excuse for illegal gambling when the whole point it to get rid of it.

Or keep it completely illegal.

I don't think anyone gambling on anyone elses behalf will be a problem, but it should be fairly easy to find out, simply by asking the countries that already have "foreigner only" casinos about their experiences.

Maybe I misunderstood the whole issue. I was not aware that the goal was to eliminate illegal gambling. I thought the goal was to create jobs and tax revenue. Perhaps then I agree with you. Poor thais will lose their homes to gambling in both legal and illegal casinos, no matter what. If allowed into the legal casino they will lose it there, and if not allowed in, they will lose it at the illegal casino! Monitoring the money is only relevant in regards to money laundering and taxes, neither of which involve the poor anyway.

I really am too tired of saying the same thing in different ways.

You can't create as much tax revenue when there's still illegal gambling. Hence make it legal for all!

[Chupup]

Can somebody explain just what " quality" travelers are or is that just more B S talk and <deleted> is the elephant in the room

[Morakot]

Note the use of the word gaming instead of gambling.

[Payboy]

Finally, they can legalize the gaming at RBSC & sanam maa.

[wooly]

Boy oh boy - if this happens it will be like Las Vegas in the 1940's/50's. Talk about turf wars. You ain't seen nothing yet.

[chiangmaikelly]

Boy oh boy - if this happens it will be like Las Vegas in the 1940's/50's. Talk about turf wars. You ain't seen nothing yet.

And this has not happened in Macau (which is much more like Thailand than Las Vegas) because why?

[finnomick1]

Do your research on Thailand. During his reign King Rama V took a trip to Europe, and saw casinos, among many other things. He decided that casinos were a really bad idea for Thailand , and that is why to this day there is not a legal casino. Casinos are still a bad idea for Thailand. Bet the police will be fighting tooth and nail to stop legal casinos.... :-) A bit of history. Link here.

http://www.chiangmai...ails.php?id=524

King Rama III, (1824-51), recognising Thais’ love of gambling, allowed legal gambling dens throughout the kingdom to generate tax revenue. By the late 19th century, many people were addicted to gambling, which led to increases in bankruptcy and crime. This influenced King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) (1868-1910), to outlaw gambling. In the mid 1940’s the government once again experimented with gambling legalisation for tax purposes. A decree was passed allowing casinos to be run by the Ministry of Finance office. There was one stipulation: only members of the wealthy class were to be admitted. The first casino opened south of Bangkok in the Pranburi District. The Ministers in charge ignored the governmental regulation and opened its doors to anyone wishing to chance their luck. Massive debt slavery and degeneration of social values resulted, causing the media and public to demand the closure of all casinos. The government obliged and they remain illegal today.

...and don't forget all those poor policemen driving big highway patrol cars that escort huge VIP coaches to the border casinos who will become redundant. A big loss in revenue for the BIB.

[davidrkw]

Stupid idea. Keep charging the country to make it identical to surrounding countries, why bother coming here? Thailand should advance it's unique culture and not copy others.

[chiangmaikelly]

Stupid idea. Keep charging the country to make it identical to surrounding countries, why bother coming here? Thailand should advance it's unique culture and not copy others.

There was a time when Thailand did not have movie theaters or automobiles you know.

[Alboy666]

If they are getting record numbers and revenues and there is still a glut of hotel rooms, then that is just bad luck for some hotels. Casinos should not be considered because of this - just let the laws of economics run their course and things will even out.

In any case you can bet that if casinos are allowed it will only be a matter of time before Casino hotels are built and there will end up still being a glut of hotel rooms outside of this. By this stage the powers that be won't be complaining because they will be getting their pockets well lined. Also, I don't really think legalised gambling will attract "quality tourists".

[chiangmaikelly]

If they are getting record numbers and revenues and there is still a glut of hotel rooms, then that is just bad luck for some hotels. Casinos should not be considered because of this - just let the laws of economics run their course and things will even out.

In any case you can bet that if casinos are allowed it will only be a matter of time before Casino hotels are built and there will end up still being a glut of hotel rooms outside of this. By this stage the powers that be won't be complaining because they will be getting their pockets well lined. Also, I don't really think legalised gambling will attract "quality tourists".

I guess a lot of companies don't think there is a glut right now. 2013 scheduled openings.

• Vana Belle, A Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui. – January 20
  
• Wave Hotel Pattaya. – January 2013
  
• Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa. -February 1
  
• Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach Resort. – February 2013
  
• Sentido Graceland Khao Lak Resort & Spa. – February 2013
  
• The Senses Patong. – March 1
  
• Sala Rattanakosin. – March 1
  
• Marriott Executive Apartments Bangkok, Sukhumvit Thonglor. – March 2013
  
• Centara Grand Resort & Spa Pattaya. – March 27
  
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sukhumvit Bangkok. – March 2013
  
• Sala Ayuthaya. – March 2013
  
• Sala Lanna Chiang Mai. – March 2013
  
• U Sansuri Phuket. – Q1 2013
  
• Mode Sathorn Hotel by Siam @ Siam. – April 2013
  
• Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok. – Q2 2013
  
• Novotel Phuket Kamala Bay. – May 2013
  
• Eastin Hotel Pattaya. – May 2013
  
• Holiday Inn Sukhumvit 22. – June 1st
  
• Prana Resort Koh Samui Nandara. – Mid 2013
  
• Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi Golf Resort & Spa. – August 2013
  
• Anantara Phuket Layan Resort & Spa. -September 2013
  
• Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok. – September 2013
  
• GLOW Pattaya. – Q3 2013
  
• Point Yamu by COMO, Phuket. – November 2013
  

[metisdead]

A racist post has been removed as well as the replies that contained that post.

[hellodolly]

Stupid idea. Keep charging the country to make it identical to surrounding countries, why bother coming here? Thailand should advance it's unique culture and not copy others.

There was a time when Thailand did not have movie theaters or automobiles you know.

The same as the states what a coincidence.

[Ricardo]

If they are getting record numbers and revenues and there is still a glut of hotel rooms, then that is just bad luck for some hotels. Casinos should not be considered because of this - just let the laws of economics run their course and things will even out.

In any case you can bet that if casinos are allowed it will only be a matter of time before Casino hotels are built and there will end up still being a glut of hotel rooms outside of this. By this stage the powers that be won't be complaining because they will be getting their pockets well lined. Also, I don't really think legalised gambling will attract "quality tourists".

I guess a lot of companies don't think there is a glut right now. 2013 scheduled openings.

• Vana Belle, A Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui. – January 20
  
• Wave Hotel Pattaya. – January 2013
  
• Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa. -February 1
  
• Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach Resort. – February 2013
  
• Sentido Graceland Khao Lak Resort & Spa. – February 2013
  
• The Senses Patong. – March 1
  
• Sala Rattanakosin. – March 1
  
• Marriott Executive Apartments Bangkok, Sukhumvit Thonglor. – March 2013
  
• Centara Grand Resort & Spa Pattaya. – March 27
  
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sukhumvit Bangkok. – March 2013
  
• Sala Ayuthaya. – March 2013
  
• Sala Lanna Chiang Mai. – March 2013
  
• U Sansuri Phuket. – Q1 2013
  
• Mode Sathorn Hotel by Siam @ Siam. – April 2013
  
• Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok. – Q2 2013
  
• Novotel Phuket Kamala Bay. – May 2013
  
• Eastin Hotel Pattaya. – May 2013
  
• Holiday Inn Sukhumvit 22. – June 1st
  
• Prana Resort Koh Samui Nandara. – Mid 2013
  
• Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi Golf Resort & Spa. – August 2013
  
• Anantara Phuket Layan Resort & Spa. -September 2013
  
• Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok. – September 2013
  
• GLOW Pattaya. – Q3 2013
  
• Point Yamu by COMO, Phuket. – November 2013
  

Oh Goody, more potential-members for the Thai Hotel Association, who want to have the government shut-down all those busy unregistered non-member hotels, because they drive down prices & occupancy-rates by giving the customers what they actually want !

But wait, haven't they also said, 2012 was a banner-year for their industry ?

[chiangmaikelly]

Stupid idea. Keep charging the country to make it identical to surrounding countries, why bother coming here? Thailand should advance it's unique culture and not copy others.

There was a time when Thailand did not have movie theaters or automobiles you know.

The same as the states what a coincidence.

I believe if you check the per capita auto ownership in the 1930's you will see a marked difference the same with movie theaters.