A bill to legalize casinos in Thailand could be passed within the term of the current government, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed Thai official.

Thai MPs on Thursday voted in favour of a study recommending Thailand allow casinos in large entertainment complexes.

The deputy finance minister and chair of a special House committee tasked with studying the matter, Houlapun Amonvivat, was separately quoted as saying such complexes would include five-star hotels, exhibition centres and restaurants called Landmarks, as well as casinos.

Reuters referred to Sourawong Tianhong, vice chairman of a parliamentary committee reviewing the issue under the proposal, saying private companies would bear the cost of building and operating such complexes and the government would be responsible for taxes and regulations on them.

But on Monday, the Bangkok Post reported that the opposition Democratic Party had strongly opposed the Putai government's plan on Sunday.

In a separate article on the same day, the same media outlet cited Senator Saint-Gilot Piriyarangsan as saying it wanted to amend its current proposal that the casino complex should be located within 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) of the airport. He said such conditions could affect the flexibility of its investment strategy due to limited and lack of transparency.

The term "Singapore model" has already been frequently mentioned in reports on the potential regulatory framework of the Thai casino industry.

As quoted by The Bangkok Post, Mr. Sang-tae also adopted the topic. He said that as well as the commonality of age restrictions, an admission fee of THB 2,000 (US$55) per person can be charged.

Maybank Investment Bank Bhd, citing information gathered in a note on Friday, said: "Supposing the regulatory framework takes two years to complete and three years to build, the first entertainment centre can only open in 2029."