Gamblers Flock To Cambodia After Bangkok Crackdown

[george]

Gamblers flock to Cambodia after Bangkok crackdown

SA KAEW: -- A recent crackdown on gambling dens in Bangkok's district of Tao Poon has sent Thai gamblers flocking over the Cambodian border to casinos in the border town of Poi Pet, with 4,000 people expected to cross over into the town this weekend.

According to local reports from the Klong Luek Checkpoint in Aranya Prathet district of the country's eastern Sa Kaew Province, a 100 metre-long queue had already formed at the checkpoint this morning, as hundreds of gamblers waited to have their passports checked.

Pol. Lt. Col. Benchaphol Rotsawat, an immigration police officer based in Aranya Prathet, attributed the rise in gamblers to the recent crackdown on gambling dens in Tao Poon and elsewhere in Bangkok, and forecast that at least 4,000-5,000 Thai gamblers would visit one of Poi Pet's nine casinos over the next two days.

One Thai gambler who spoke to TNA reporters this morning said that she had previously gambled in three Bangkok dens, but that now they had been closed down, she had to make the trip to Poi Pet.

Although Poi Pet is a considerable distance from Bangkok, it is just about possible to make the journey in a day trip.(

--TNA 2005-06-25

[george]

Democrats oppose legalised casinos

BANGKOK: -- The government’s plan to legalise the country’s casinos has been on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s mind for the past two or three years, according to the leader of the opposition Democrat Party, Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The prime minister had repeatedly advocated the legalisation of casinos and betting on football matches during the past year, Mr. Abhisit said.

The idea follows the government’s two and three-digit lotteries intended to draw people away from illegal bookies.

The government may hold a public hearing on legalising casinos, Mr. Thaksin said on Friday, following a major police raid on one of Bangkok’s illegal gambling dens.

The best would be a referendum on the issue, to coincide with the next general election, Mr. Abhisit said.

The Democrat leader said his party was totally opposed to the idea of legalising casinos and urged the police to keep cracking down on illegal gambling.

The government should not just concentrate on the commercial side of legalising casinos and disregard the dangers to the society, Mr. Abhisit said.

--TNA 2005-06-25

[puyaidon]

It seems rather strange that they don't want gambling but are willing to lose money to Cambodia just to appear like they are doing the country good. The same arguments were used in the Phillipines and when they opened up casinos, the money rolled in from mostly locals. I have neighbors that make a run to Cambodia on a chartered bus on a weekly basis. They win and lose but Thailand loses more. Someone just is not seeing the picture unless the darker elements are behind the illegal casinos and don't want to lose if the casinos become legal. OIT (only in Thailand)

[Heng]

Most of not all of the border casinos are Thai owned. Don't worry, they'll probably open up some in country eventually, just be patient.

[thaibebop]

It will just be one more reason for people to come visit. ######, Thailand might get an influx of old middle Americans from Iowa or something, they always gamble.

[joe beets]

Most of not all of the border casinos are Thai owned.  Don't worry, they'll probably open up some in country eventually, just be patient.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I find myself in the odd position of agreeing with Heng. (It helps that this is a matter of fact and not opinion.) But IMHO, things will stay the way they are vis-a-vis legalized gambling in the Kingdom until those those Thai-Chin owned cross-border cash cows make their nuts++. Shouldn't be too much longer, with respect to the latest, er, crackdowns.

jb

[chico]

No wonder, if one looks at the figures involved:

According to the book of three professors of Bangkok University, published in 1996 "Guns, Girls, Gambling, Ganja" - the daily net income from some 200 to 300 casinos only in BKK was between 75 and 370 million bt, in the rest of the country

another 40 to 80 million per day.

The police in BKK alone taking 1 to 1.5 million per day.

One could say, that since the opening of the border casinos some people now play in those, but on the other hand, income has more than doubled within those 9 years, therefore gains will be higher too.

And although it is true, that most of the border casinos are totally or partially owned by Thais, it still depends, how much influence this owners have on the government to block legalization of gambling in Thailand.

The government would certainly not have to discuss new taxes, cutting TV at midnight, raising fuel prizes, etc, if it woud legalize gambling and keep the billions of bt transferred somewhere incountry.

[sriracha john]

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you:

ShinCasino