Senate to mull casino bill report

Panel urges govt to drop measure

- POST REPORTERS

The Senate will debate a committee report opposing the previous government's casino-entertainment complex bill tomorrow, Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja says.

The report was compiled by a Senate committee studying the bill chaired by Sen Veeraphan Suwannamai. It opposes the current version of the bill, warning of grave constitutional, economic and social consequences if the project moves forward.

The report concluded the draft law, championed by the administration of former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, rests on unproven assumptions and lacks evidence of the plan’s suitability for Thailand. It argued the casino-based entertainment complexes would yield little real economic value, as revenue largely transfers from losers to winners rather than generating new wealth, while infrastructure costs and state burden would be high.