D. Nonarit Bisonyabut<\/strong>, a researcher from the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI); Nualnoi Treerat<\/strong>, director of Chulalongkorn University\u2019s Centre for Gambling Studies; Chittawan Chanakul<\/strong>, a lecturer at Thammasat University, and Thanakorn Komkrit<\/strong>, secretary-general of the Stop Gambling Foundation, took part in a roundtable discussion hosted by the Thai language newspaper Krungthep Turakij.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bisonyabut raised concerns about corruption and money laundering<\/strong> and warned that granting licences to selected businesses could lead to a monopoly and exploitation. He suggested that the government prepare a report on how it intends to address public concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Treerat said that although the casino bill is based on Singapore\u2019s <\/strong>model, Thailand has not adopted Singapore\u2019s measures to reduce societal risks. She said there was no support for people with gambling-harm-related issues and called for limited access for certain visitors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Chanakul argued that effective governance and low levels of corruption<\/strong> were crucial for a country seeking to allow casinos.\u00a0She noted Thailand\u2019s drop to 107th place in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index and also cited studies showing that gambling can reduce economic growth by 1 per cent and increase crime rates. Chittawan suggested that setting a minimum licence fee of THB5bn could reduce corruption risks but called for a referendum to understand public opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Komkrit criticised the lack of clear regulations on credit provision to gamblers, the absence of a regulatory body to manage societal impacts and insufficient public participation. He suggested the Gambling Act to should be updated.<\/p>\n\n\n![](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/asia-pacific\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2024\/10\/Norway-submits-new-Gambling-legislation-to-EC-300x200.jpg\")
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