Parliament will likely discuss the entertainment complex bill by April 9, chief government whip Wisut Chainarun says.
Mr Wisut, also a Pheu Thai list-MP, on Sunday provided an update on the progress of the bill that was approved by the cabinet on March 27, saying parliament has not received confirmation on when it will be submitted.
If it does not arrive in time for review on April 3, it will likely be considered on April 9, he says.
The bill will be given enough time in the House, he said. Coalition MPs are likely to give the bill a go-ahead, while talks with the opposition about the matter have not been held, he said.
Meanwhile, tourism operators in Phuket have backed the bill as it could drive economic growth.
However, Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) president Thanet Tantipiriyakit said a world-class entertainment venue, without a casino at the site, would attract more family-oriented travellers.
There are other kinds of projects that could help draw quality tourists to spend more time in Phuket, said Mr Thanet, including a world-class water park, a sports complex on par with international standards, a cultural and arts centre or a theme park.
Currently, tourists stay in Phuket for 5–8 days and are mainly drawn by its sandy beaches, he said, adding a well-designed entertainment complex could extend their stay.
He also pointed out that tourists who come to gamble may not significantly contribute to the local economy, as they tend to spend only within casino premises.
The government says the entertainment complex bill aims to drive the economy by lessening the dependency on seasonal tourism.
Under the current version of the bill, complexes will mostly comprise concert halls, indoor sports arenas, water parks and/or hotels, while casinos will only account for 10% of the space.
This project is expected to bring in 119–283 billion baht a year and increase the number of foreign travellers in Thailand by 5–10%.
However, political activist Jatuporn Prompan during a protest in front of Government House on Saturday said legalising gambling will bring about social troubles such as crime and family problems.
He said he had invited a monk to give a sermon about the negative effects of gambling on April 1 for cabinet to listen to.
