Islanders lukewarm over Samak govt's push for legalised gambling

Not long after Thailand Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej stated his intention of legalising casinos as a way of attracting more foreign tourists and extra government revenue, Assumption University's Abac Poll interviewed 2,276 people in 18 provinces on the issue.

The results revealed 56 per cent of respondents opposed the idea, while just 32 per cent supported it. The other 12 per cent were unsure.

Several years ago, when a similar idea was put forward by the first Thaksin administration, the Phuket Chamber of Commerce conducted a similar poll among business leaders, government officials and other selected individuals here in Phuket with a similar result.

Yet despite the opposition, over 55 per cent of those surveyed in the recent Abac poll said they thought gambling was "normal", while 35 per cent admitted to gambling.

Squeamish

These figures reveal the squeamishness and concern in Thai society over legalising a vice that is against the teachings of both Buddhism and Islam.

Phuket Provincial Police deputy Col Paween Pongsirin said he favours the idea, because police are fed up playing cat and mouse games with people who set up illegal gambling operations on the island.

"My main reason for wanting to legalise casinos is the presence of so many underground gambling syndicates all around Thailand. The profits from these are not taxed and must be laundered ...

Better to tax profits

"With legal casinos, the industry could be monitored and some profits would go straight into the government coffers, where they could be used to fund education and other projects to benefit society," he said.

"I see so many Thai people travelling abroad to gamble. Why not set up a place where they can gamble legally here?"

Interestingly, Col Paween did not think Phuket is the right place for a casino. "It is not suitable for Phuket because the island's strong point is it's natural beauty ... the best place to set up casinos would be remote undeveloped areas."

Sontaya Pankaew, a lecturer in the humanities and social science department at Phuket Rajabhat University, had numerous reservations about opening a casino.

Farang targetted

Building a casino here would be a regional issue, he said, so public hearings would need to be held in all six Andaman coast provinces - not just Phuket.

"If we have legal casinos they won't be meant for local people, but a completely different class of player. So my question is: Who is the government planning to set up casinos for?" According to reports, Samak's plan would include letting foreigners in for free, but charging Thais a one-time membership of Bt100,000.

Phummisak Hongsyok, an appointed senator and former long-time mayor of Phuket city agreed with setting up a casino, but not in Phuket.

"It would be better to site a casino in a less developed part of some other province as a way of spurring growth," he said.

Promchote Traivate, head of the Phuket Sports and Recreational Development office, was equally sceptical. He feared legalising casinos could open a Pandora's Box of problems that the government would be unable to control.

He also feared it would damage Phuket's reputation as a "natural" destination.

Phuket Gazette