Only Thai nationals who have held at least 50 million baht in a fixed deposit account for no less than six months will be allowed to enter the new casino-entertainment complex, says a government source.
The requirement is under Section 65 of the Entertainment Complex Bill, which has now been scrutinised by the Council of State (CoS) and will be reviewed by the cabinet on March 11, the source said.
Thai nationals must also pre-register and pay a fee before being allowed in, the source added.
Government figures are likely to oppose such a provision, as they say it may run counter to the need to boost the economy.
Other key provisions, the source said, include Section 59, which says gambling activities within an entertainment complex will be governed by this new law, not the anti-gambling laws. Section 63 requires all visitors to undergo identity verification via passport or ID card.
Sections 61 and 62 prohibit online gambling and live-streaming of gambling activities from the casino to prevent people outside the casino from participating.
The source said the CoS returned the bill to the government on Feb 28 for further work and it remains to be seen whether the cabinet will approve the bill.
Previously, Pakorn Nilprapunt, secretary-general of the CoS, said the requirement would limit gambling to those with financial means and exclude most Thais from being patrons due to gambling concerns.
The requirement drew concern from Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat who said such an idea is at odds with the government's objectives. The casino-entertainment complex, he said, aims to stimulate the economy, attract foreign investments and, importantly, tackle illegal gambling.
However, the requirement for gamblers to have a large amount of money in their bank account would mean that many Thais would continue to visit illegal gambling dens or casinos along the border, he said.
Mr Julapun said the matter would be discussed further by cabinet and parliament.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said last month the bill was unlikely to be approved by the cabinet with an entry requirement imposed for Thais.
