Inside Asian Gaming

April 2008 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 9 Market Outlook dissolve parliament, while an Abac poll put support for the move at only 37%. Abac appears generally to have a good reputation in Thailand and is careful to publish its methodology. One of its casino opinion findings that received less prominence in the Thai media than the headline public opposition was that 55.3% of respondents said gambling was a normal thing, and 35% admitted they had gambled before. Establishment view An interesting question is where the Thai monarchy and the military stand in this debate. As the recent coup and modern Thai history has shown, not much happens in the kingdomwithout either the tacit approval or at least the acquiescence of the palace and the army. Like Mr Thaksin, Mr Samak is a populist, and an ethnic Chinese one at that. Being of Chinese descent and being a populist have not always been popular with the establishment, as Mr Thaksin found out to his cost. Unlike Mr Thaksin, Mr Samak is considered well connected in palace and military circles. He has been described by historians as a confidant of Queen Sirikit, and is a noted anti-communist who, as deputy prime minister in 1992, defended the army’s suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators. Another interesting question then is whether Mr Samak was speaking off the cuff (as Thai politicians are wont to do) or whether he was making carefully considered remarks in order to gauge the public and political mood. Talk—as the old saying goes—is cheap, and Thailand is a country with a history of fine pronouncements but only patchy follow through.The next months could show whether Mr Samak is giving voice to a new era or merely reiterating an old one. Political football The chequered history of legal gambling in Thailand 1974 Thai national lottery founded July 2003 Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s cabinet approves new national lottery products known as two- and three-digit lotteries to counter the popularity of similar illegal lotteries. March 2005 Government Lottery Office (GLO) announces a consortium led by the Thai-registered trading company Loxley Plc and US-based GTECH as the successful bidders for an electronic lottery system in a deal valued at Baht 1.5 billion. May 2005 Thai media reports say Prime Minister Thaksin admits some Thai Rak Thai party MPs have been acting as middlemen for GLO donations to temples and wrongfully soliciting a share to donate to other temples in their own name. September 2005 GLO asked to conduct casino feasibility study by Prime Minister Thaksin. December 2005 Finance Ministry plans Lottery Tax for online lottery games.Top rate could be up to 20% say media reports. July 2006 State auditor announces plans to investigate GLO spending and possible tax evasion that may have cost the country around Baht 10 billion over the previous three years. July 2006 GLO insists profits from the sale of its two- and three- digit tickets are tax-exempt, despite an investigation into possible tax evasion by the State Audit Office. October 2006 Following military coup the previous month, interim government announces is may abolish the large jackpot prize offered by the GLO’s two- and three- digit lottery. October 2006 Anti-graft commission finds a former director of the GLO and two other GLO officials guilty of serious disciplinary violations according to media reports. November 2006 Council of State rules two- and three-digit lotteries are unlawful. National Lottery sales are suspended. November 2006 Finance Ministry proposes amendment to Lottery Act to enable GLO to recommence operation of two- and three- digit lotteries on legal basis. December 2006 Lottery technical operator Loxley GTECH issues statement saying he“understands difficulties”and will not be suing the government for damages. December 2006 Survey commissioned by Thai Chamber of Commerce suggests majority of public wants two- and three- digit lotteries to continue. February 2007 A group of 30 politicians and 16 officials are implicated in the misuse of Baht 15 billion generated from the two- and three-digit lottery scheme, initiated by the Thaksin government in 2003. June 2007 Military government says it will halve the number of dates on which official lotteries are drawn to two days per month as part of a policy aimed at reducing the number of lottery participants. July 2007 Statistics from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce suggest half the population bought state lottery tickets in the previous 12 months. November 2007 The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) indicts former prime minister Thaksin and 46 others, including most of his Cabinet members for their joint decision to launch the controversial two- and three- digit lottery in 2003. December 2007 Military government announces future of two- and three-digit lotteries will be left to the new civilian government due to take over following the general election planned for the end of the month. February 2008 The Assets committee says it will bypass the Office of the Attorney General and directly prosecute former prime minister Thaksin for graft relating to the now stalled two- and three digit lotteries. March 2008 Newly-appointed prime minister Samak Sundaravej tells a live radio and television audience he is in favour of legalising casinos.