Myanmar to rein in controversial China-backed gambling hub near Thai border

 

The Shwe Kokko New City project in Myawaddy near the Thai border in Karen State. Photo courtesy of The Irrawaddy

 

YANGON—The Myanmar government has begun taking steps to tackle what are seen as irregularities surrounding a controversial China-backed city development project in a Karen-controlled area opposite Mae Sot District of  Thailand’s Tak Province, The Irrawaddy news website reported.

 

It quoted government spokesman U Zaw Htay as saying at a news briefing in Naypyitaw over the weekend that the government in December issued instructions to relevant departments on actions to be taken regarding the ShweKokko New City project, which is run by the Karen State Border Guard Forceand Chinese investors accused of operating illegal casino activities in Cambodia and the Philippines.

 

The Karen border guard force is a Myanmar military-backed armed group led by Colonel Chit Thu, a local ethnic Karen warlord. Chit Thu made peace with the Myanmar’s military and converted his armed units into an officially recognized border guard force. The Myanmar military has also made similar arrangement with some other ethnic groups.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/myanmar-to-rein-in-controversial-china-backed-gambling-hub-near-thai-border/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-01-13

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Myanmar to rein in controversial China-backed gambling hub near Thai border

 

Deer me .. hub has resurfaced again .. I thought it had been sleigh'd .. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The Karen border guard force is a Myanmar military-backed armed group led by Colonel Chit Thu, a local ethnic Karen warlord. Chit Thu made peace with the Myanmar’s military and converted his armed units into an officially recognized border guard force. The Myanmar military has also made similar arrangement with some other ethnic groups.

Sounds like a pretty tenuous arrangement...

For those in the know; Zhao Wei and his wife  Su Guiqin had such operations Mong La/Myanmar (closed now), Boten/Laos (closed now) and Tonpheung/Laos (closed now) was born on Hainan, which is China. Should it be somebody else, then get some goooooood advice from Zhao Wei, how to avoid failure. 

The bottomline there was not "casino only" but everything around it - good luck to Myawaddy; there's lots of cash coming your way - even if for a short time only! 

Sounds like Thailand was after & during the Vietnam war.

Just keep them brown envelopes coming & the odd load of drugs off the incoming military flights.

These remote  villagers have only one source of actual cash, , growing & (or) making drugs.

Without Govt aid (which Myanmar is never going to offer) this will continue

Sad state of affairs that the Karens have gotten into, to become mercenaries for China just to survive.

I spent time with them in another life back when they had high hopes for independence.

the simple Karen populace itself wouldn't have had any choice in the matter...

This is the same project where signs are up around town saying "Foreigners not allowed to enter" by which they mean us farang. Seems they don't want farang snooping around or they are paranoid about possible farang working for the CIA. 

On 1/14/2021 at 8:37 AM, Sydebolle said:

For those in the know; Zhao Wei and his wife  Su Guiqin had such operations Mong La/Myanmar (closed now), Boten/Laos (closed now) and Tonpheung/Laos (closed now) was born on Hainan, which is China. Should it be somebody else, then get some goooooood advice from Zhao Wei, how to avoid failure. 

The bottomline there was not "casino only" but everything around it - good luck to Myawaddy; there's lots of cash coming your way - even if for a short time only! 

Interesting. So Tonpheung has closed permanently too? That's odd...

13 hours ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

Interesting. So Tonpheung has closed permanently too? That's odd...

 

Absolutely nothing is permanent in Asia, Ton Pheung's closure is not permanent as too much money has been sunk into already. Lets wait for April and the new line-up of the Lao government after Saturday's closure of the National Assembly! 

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

 

Absolutely nothing is permanent in Asia, Ton Pheung's closure is not permanent as too much money has been sunk into already. Lets wait for April and the new line-up of the Lao government after Saturday's closure of the National Assembly! 

Well Boten and Mong La casinos have been permanently closed.

 

I just checked on the status regarding Ton Pheung. It's only being closed for 2 weeks (to reopen on Jan 26). It is not being permanently closed as an entertainment venue at this stage, though what the future holds is unknown. 

2 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

 

Absolutely nothing is permanent in Asia, Ton Pheung's closure is not permanent as too much money has been sunk into already. Lets wait for April and the new line-up of the Lao government after Saturday's closure of the National Assembly! 

Will anything stop China's aggressive expansionist policy?

On 1/18/2021 at 11:41 AM, PatOngo said:

Will anything stop China's aggressive expansionist policy?

 

Only if China runs out of money; this expansion costs them an arm and a leg. But while they plan for the next generation, secure resources and raw material ........ our gifted leaders talk about a third-gender toilet installation in all government and public building. 

Go figure on who has the priorities right? 

On 1/18/2021 at 11:34 AM, TheFreqFlyer said:

Well Boten and Mong La casinos have been permanently closed.

 

I just checked on the status regarding Ton Pheung. It's only being closed for 2 weeks (to reopen on Jan 26). It is not being permanently closed as an entertainment venue at this stage, though what the future holds is unknown. 

Yes, Dr. Thongloun needs a legal reason which he is lacking (except the present temporary lock-down on the Corona virus hysteria). But there is also not enough traffic moving through as Chinese gamblers cannot enter Laos legally. 

The entire show serves the purpose of a smokescreen for the main activities which is in the poppy fields and laboratories feeding the ever-so-drug-hungry ...... 

35 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Yes, Dr. Thongloun needs a legal reason which he is lacking (except the present temporary lock-down on the Corona virus hysteria). But there is also not enough traffic moving through as Chinese gamblers cannot enter Laos legally. 

The entire show serves the purpose of a smokescreen for the main activities which is in the poppy fields and laboratories feeding the ever-so-drug-hungry ...... 

Ton Pheung has been locked down several times during this "pandemic", even without any confirmed cases, but done out of hysteria. Clearly Dr. Thongloun is not happy with that casino but as you say it's a smokescreen for something bigger.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if it is indeed shut down permanently in the future, although the other non-gambling related activities and investments will likely continue. That's what happened in Boten.