Inside Asian Gaming

IAG FEB 2023年2月 亞博匯 20 THAI CASINOS TO COVER 5% OF IR FLOOR SPACE, MINIMUM INCOME REQUIRED OF LOCALS 泰國計劃中賭場將佔IR 建築面積5%，對本地 玩家有最低收入要求 THE CASINO AREAS at Thailand’s first integrated resorts would take up around 5% of total floor space, with locals required to prove they meet certain income thresholds, under a report approved by the House of Representatives in mid-January. The report also names Bangkok and areas inside Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) – which includes the likes of Pattaya and Rayong – as the most suitable locations and proposes investment greater than that of Singapore’s two IRs, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. Among the key points made public shortly before the report was approved is a recommendation that casino areas comprise around 5% of total floor space, with the remainder to incorporate attractions such as five- star hotels, shopping malls, beauty and spa parlours, amusement parks, zoos and indoor and outdoor sports stadiums, according to a source. Entry to casinos would be open to foreigners and locals aged 21 years and above, with the latter group needing to show a minimum balance of at least TBH500,000 (US$15,000) held in their accounts over the previous six months. The study also wants IR complexes to be declared special administrative areas, for them to be funded by the public and private sectors and for the budget to be “bigger than a similar project undertaken in Singapore.” Bangkok, Pattaya and other cities inside the EEC, as well as those within a 100-kilometre radius of Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports, are seen as the most suitable locations with 22 tourism provinces named as second choice. Those locations considered only third best, and therefore unlikely to be chosen, include Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi and Chiang Mai, among others. 根據 泰國眾議院1月中旬提交審議的文件，泰國第一批綜合度假 村（IR）的賭場區域將佔總建築面積的5%，泰國本國人需要提 交自己收入達到一定數目的證明。 該文件還將曼谷和泰國東部經濟走廊（EEC）（包括芭堤雅 和羅勇等地區）列為最合適的選址地，並建議投資超過新加坡的 兩個綜合度假村（即濱海灣金沙和聖淘沙名勝世界）。 有消息人士透露，早前公佈的要點包括建議賭場區域佔IR總 建築面積的5%左右，其餘部分包括五星級酒店、購物中心、美 容和水療中心、遊樂園、動物園及室內和室外體育場館等景點及 設施。 21歲及以上的外國人和本國人都可以進入賭場，但本地人需 要證明他們在過去六個月的賬戶中至少持有50萬泰銖（15,000 美元）。 該研究希望將IR綜合體宣佈為特別管轄區，由公共和私營部 門提供資金，預算「比在新加坡進行的類似項目更大」。 曼谷、芭堤雅等泰國東部經濟走廊內城市，以及素萬那普機 場和烏塔堡機場半徑100公里範圍內的城市，被認為是最合適的 地點。有22個旅遊省份被列為第二選擇。那些被認為僅是第三 序列的地點包括布吉島、攀牙府、甲米和清邁等，不太可能被選 中。