Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAR 2022年3月 亞博匯 26 Yai – if he served out his full four-year term. “We have to seriously study the idea of how to open legal casinos,” he said. “This way, the illegal dens and private casinos will close down. If people want to gamble they can come here, so the police won’t have to crack down on [the illegal dens].” In the end, Samak didn’t last four months, let alone four years, being sentenced to two years in jail on an old libel charge and fleeing to the United States. What separates Thailand’s latest attempt to legalize casino gaming from those previous efforts – and gives some hope to proponents – is the monarchy. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who held the throne for almost 70 years until his death at the age of 88 in October 2016, was famously anti-gambling, while his son and successor, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, is said to be intrigued by the idea of bringing to Thailand the type of multi- billion dollar integrated resorts seen in Macau and Singapore. Certainly there is some merit to the notion. A feasibility study conducted by an internationally renowned consultancy, pre-COVID-19, recommended the development of “two or three” casinos in Thailand, comprising a large- scale integrated resort in Bangkok and two smaller satellite casinos in tourist destinations. Assuming investment levels of up to US$4 billion for the Bangkok IR – smaller for the satellite locations – the study Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. 泰國總理巴育。 COVER STORY