Two senior Democrats say casino entertainment complex not worth the trouble

“Thailand is not a place for trial and error. Such an experiment could spoil our children,” Suchatvee warned.

He said several countries that had allowed casinos to operate legally were beset with problems of grey money and corruption and such casinos could not boost the economy as expected.

He said a legal casino would not be able to allow the government to receive tax from underground gambling. He said other countries, such as Singapore and the United States, had to face social and crime issues instead of economic growth.

Suchatvee said Thailand already has popular tourist destinations and good culture, which should be promoted, without the need for a casino to draw tourists.

Chaichana said instead of opening a casino, the government should legalise traditional games and earn concession fees from them without having to open a casino.

For example, Chaichana said, Thais like…