The government has at last confirmed that it will have the last word on which locations will be chosen to host casino-entertainment complexes. Deputy finance minister Julapun Amornvivat said bidding to the government will ensure investors – including likely US moguls – are allowed to compete fairly. He added that the government will also decide on how many casinos will be constructed with each one requiring at least 100 billion baht or around US$3 billion.
Pattaya authorities, including mayor Poramet Ngampichet and real estate mogul Wattanaphon Phonchiwan, have campaigned hard for the resort to be a winner. They speak of job creation, heightened residential property demand, enhanced tourism and an overall economic boost. More generally, they stress that neighboring Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines are already raking in the cash. Not to mention Macao where 80 percent of locals are employed directly or indirectly in the casino business.
There has long been speculation about the location of a Pattaya or Jomtien casino with rumors about existing hotels having whole floors ready behind dust covers for the green light. But the government wants to see casinos actually built from scratch as they will also need to house non-gambling facilities such as family entertainment, restaurants, concert halls, luxury accommodation and sports facilities. Nor is it feasible to locate a casino on Koh Larn, as suggested, as the island is already beyond maximum environmental capacity and approachable only by water or helicopter.
While it is virtually certain that the Eastern Economic Corridor will host a casino in the first phase – government spokespeople have suggested this region as well as others in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket – the more likely local venue is Sattahip and the area of the expanding U-tapao airport which is planning a second runway to accommodate large-bodied jets flying across continents. This would also be an example of the government’s wish to see international and domestic tourism move slowly but surely to secondary locations and away from the traditional tourist hot spots.
The stark reality is that Pattaya is already suffering from over-tourism. There may be too many restaurants, bars and spare condo units, but the infrastructure is creaking badly. The daily traffic chaos reflects too many users on insufficient roads, many dating back decades and not built for mega-tourism and road-rage drivers. Luxury casinos and entertainment complexes are best placed in less polluted spots with direct access to international communications and, eventually, a fast-track rail network to Bangkok. That said, casinos are not round the corner. They may not be up and running in Thailand before 2030.
