With negotiations regarding the establishment of a new property in the Mae Sot district progressing, some analysts have projected that a new casino resort may be welcomed in Thailand soon. The location that is being considered to host the establishment is strategically significant as it is situated right on Thailand’s border with Myanmar – a conservative Asian nation of over 100 ethnic groups that has so far been unwilling to expand its gambling market.
Reportedly, Thailand seems to be very particular about the location that could host a potential new casino resort because at a short distance from it, right across the two countries’ border, there is an operational casino resort in Myawaddy, Myanmar.
According to market experts, such an establishment could trigger an interesting head-to-head rivalry between the two Asian nations if both of them try to secure the largest number of gamblers to their casino venues. Who would emerge victorious from the competition will depend on various factors but for now, the former Member of Parliament Themthai Senapong would have to determine whether the new casino property project in Thailand is feasible. Mr. Senapong is part of a dedicated committee that is currently considering the casino resort project’s potential as part of a new study.
The proposed casino project is important for the region not only because it is expected to boost the local economy and keep an additional money flow within Thailand by potentially attracting foreign tourists and visitors. Apart from that, a new casino on Thailand’s border with Myanmar would help the Government fight illegal and unregulated gambling that has been proliferating at a time when there are no regulated casino services in Mae Sot.
Local Politicians Want to See Results of Viability Study Before Thinking of Any Progress of the Casino Project
The Mae Sot district would not need some special efforts to get to building the casino project, especially considering the fact it features good infrastructure that would make potential construction work relatively easier. Some analysts believe that the Myanmar project has resulted in strong economic growth in the region across the border, so many Thais were willing to see a similar development in Thailand.
A group of local politicians from the region has already confirmed they were interested in the new casino project, mostly because the establishment of a new casino resort would be beneficial for them. Local support would be helpful by any means, but the casino project would still need the approval of the Central Government in order to move forward.
During a forum gathering that took place over the weekend, local officials discussed the positive impact that such a casino establishment could inflict on the region.
The talks over the weekend were dominated by consideration of the project’s viability, as the majority of Members of Parliament and other officials seemed unwilling to start reaping the expected benefits that could be brought by such an establishment without a special feasibility study being completed first. According to analysts, local officials will naturally find it hard to come up with an exact decision on the future development of the project without having some indicators and trends first. Reportedly, they are still working on a potential realization plan, although they want to see the results of a feasibility study first.
