EEC board to review casino-free mega tourism project before cabinet filing
Transport Minister Phiphat says an EEC entertainment complex will be casino-free, with the board meeting this week to finalise land allocation and attract 600–700bn baht
February 23, 2026 — Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the government led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wants Thailand’s economy to move forward and grow, with a target for GDP growth of around 3% in 2026. He said one key mechanism to help push GDP higher is infrastructure investment and tourism.
Phiphat said that, as the minister overseeing the Office of the Eastern Economic Corridor Policy Committee (EEC Office), he will push for the creation of a new tourism destination that is man-made, aiming to attract as many as 40 million tourists. This would be developed under an entertainment complex project comprising sports projects, a theme park and shopping malls, while stressing clearly that “there is absolutely no casino.”
He said campaign pledges can be delivered, particularly the development of a world-class theme park, and noted that discussions have already taken place with the EEC secretary-general, the governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
He said the EEC has reserved land totalling about 15,000 rai, and that about 5,000 rai would be allocated to support sports projects and a theme park. He said this zone would not include industrial factories, but would include supporting facilities such as hospitals and medical centres, to attract tourists and develop the area into a new city.
Phiphat added that if these projects go ahead, they would help drive the private sector to begin construction of the high-speed rail project linking three airports and development tied to U-Tapao airport, meaning investment in the EEC could total around 600–700 billion baht.
He said this would come from about 300 billion baht in investment related to the three-airport high-speed rail and U-Tapao airport, and about 350 billion baht in sports investment. He said that once in government, the administration would move immediately to drive signatures forward, and he believes the government’s economic team will be able to deliver the project.
A Transport Ministry source said that last week Phiphat convened a meeting with the EEC secretary-general and the governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand on approaches to developing the EEC area.
The source said land is already available to support development, and a clear land-allocation plan will be submitted to the EEC board meeting this week, in preparation for forwarding the matter to the cabinet.
