| THE LEGALISATION OF CASINOS AND GAMING IN THAILAND: HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM PERSPECTIVES Supatcharajit Jitpraphai, C. Michael Hall & Neil Carr Issue 32 (Vol. 16, No. 2), December 2006, pp. 153-166. The legalisation of casinos and gaming has been a significant tourism policy issue in Thailand since the mid-1990s as a result over concerns of social costs, economic leakage and the competitiveness of Thailand as a destination. However, opposition to legalisation, particularly on moral and ethical grounds has meant that legislative change that would allow legal casino development has not been forthcoming. Despite significant policy debate little voice has been given to the perspectives of the hospitality and tourism industry. The research presents the results of a survey of members of the Association of Thai Travel Agents and the Thai Hotel Association with respect to gambling and casino development and management in Thailand. The results suggest that although industry members are supportive of changes to legislation so as to allow legalisation of casinos that they are supportive of such measures more on the grounds of management of criminal activity and the social impacts of gambling than on the necessary economic benefits of casino development. Such perspectives may have considerable implications for the future policy debates surrounding casino development in Thailand as they highlight industry��s awareness of broader concerns in Thai society. |