(Jan 26): Many Thais still disapprove of the government’s plan to allow investments in casinos and the legalisation of online gambling as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra sought to assure citizens the initiative would bring economic benefits.

About 59% of respondents said they disagreed with investments in both casinos and so-called entertainment complexes in Thailand, according to the Jan 20-21 survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, also known as Nida.

About 29% said they agreed with both casinos and the large venues they would be housed in, while the rest preferred only having one of the two, the survey published on Sunday showed. The nationwide poll of 1,310 Thais aged 18 and above has a margin of error of 3%, Nida said.

About 69% of respondents also disagreed with the government’s plan to legalise online gambling to support casinos, while the rest were in agreement, the poll showed.

Opposition has been growing among Thais as the government pushes ahead with the initiative. Last week, a group of Thais attending a provincial election campaign rally in northeastern Si Sa Ket paraded banners saying casinos and online gambling would harm future generations.

In response, Paetongtarn said on Saturday entertainment complexes will be the nation’s new “man-made tourist destination,” and they will help create jobs and generate new income to help boost economic growth.

She also said negative sentiments among Thais were understandable and the government will seek to address public concerns.

Earlier this month, Thailand’s cabinet approved in principle a bill to legalise casinos, which the government pitched as a major step to spur tourism and tackle rampant illegal gambling in the Southeast Asian nation.

The bill proposes that casinos be housed within large entertainment venues, which could also include hotels, convention centers and amusement parks. Thailand can emerge as a major player in the global gaming industry if casinos become fully operational in about six years, Citigroup Inc said in 2024.

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