Casino opens near Buri Ram but only locals and special guests allowed over the border to attend

[snoop1130]

Casino opens near Buri Ram but only locals and special guests allowed over the border to attend

By The Nation

 

 

THE controversial new casino, which is allegedly sitting on territory claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia near Buri Ram.

 

 But hundreds of visitors from outside the province were barred from joining the opening ceremony – with no clear reason given by security officers.

 

A source said some 300 VIP guests were invited by casino bosses to attend the party, including free performances by Thai pop singers and lucky draws for guests.

 

Some high-profile businessmen and officials also attended the event.

 

However, hundreds of visitors who were not native to Ban Kruad district in Buri Ram, near where the casino is located, and people without invitations were not allowed to attend.

 

Security officers stationed near the Chong Sai Taku checkpoint screened visitors closely without offering any clear reasons why they were not allowed to enter. They just said they were complying with an order given to them, some visitors said.

 

Cha Anurak, from Maha Sarakham province, said he travelled to the checkpoint with relatives and friends, hoping to visit the casino and try his luck.

 

But officers at the checkpoint did not allow them to cross the border. Only people with invitations and Ban Kruad residents were allowed, he was told.

 

“I was disappointed and felt angry as I wasted the money and time travelling here without being able to enter the casino,” Cha said.

 

Two other visitors from Loei province, Wuttinant Atoirum, 42, and Preecha Suksri, 33, said they learned about the opening and wanted to visit the casino, but were barred from crossing the border without any prior notice.

 

They claimed they had crossed the border to buy goods previously, but had no luck this time. 

 

Major General Thanes Wongcha-oum, the Thai Army Suranaree Commander responsible for the area, denied having any special rule in place, saying the military was following normal procedures for border crossings. Passes were needed for those wishing to travel to nearby areas, but if they wished to go deeper into Cambodia, they had to show passports.

 

The new casino has been in the spotlight since anti-corruption activist Veera Somkwamkid claimed in Facebook posts a few weeks ago that it was located on “overlapping” territory claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311677

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-4-7

[maoro2013]

There has been a fence at this border for at least 9 years since I have lived here which appeared to have delineated the border. Why let Cambodia interests build this casino and argue about the border afterwards, it has been under construction for a long time.

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, maoro2013 said:

There has been a fence at this border for at least 9 years since I have lived here which appeared to have delineated the border. Why let Cambodia interests build this casino and argue about the border afterwards, it has been under construction for a long time.

Oh please, it is all a big smoke screen.  These Thai border casinos are licenses for the Thai elite to print money.  Everybody is in on it.  That is why they are in "undefined areas".  These facilities are not much fun, unless are an avid gambler.  The shops can be okay to buy booze. 

[TEFLKrabi]

Are the casinos at the Surin crossing open for everyone, Thais, Cambodians and farang alike?

[Toknarok]

      At present only Thais can cross, farangs are prohibited from doing so, even if they only want to visit the market on the Cambodian side and are not interested in the casino.

      This may all change when the border post becomes an official crossing point manned by Immigration Police instead of the border guards as it is at present.

      I've lived in Ban Kruat for 30 years and this crossing point has been on the cards for all that time. Looks like it will now eventually really happen. Things grind along slowly in LOS.

[12DrinkMore]

3 hours ago, maoro2013 said:

Why let Cambodia interests build this casino

 

I think you'll find that the "investors" are mostly Thai, as indeed are most of the gamblers.

Edited April 8, 2017 by 12DrinkMore

[Destiny1990]

Whats wrong with going to a casino for a night out?i rather go to a casino for a night out for dinner drinks shows etc than strolling up and down walking street.

[12DrinkMore]

1 minute ago, Destiny1990 said:

Whats wrong with going to a casino for a night out?i rather go to a casino for a night out for dinner drinks shows etc than strolling up and down walking street.

The casinos I have visited around the borders of Thailand have not put on shows Vegas style.

 

Best you'll get is some guy on a piano in the foyer with a Filippino singer.

 

 

[Destiny1990]

30 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

The casinos I have visited around the borders of Thailand have not put on shows Vegas style.

 

Best you'll get is some guy on a piano in the foyer with a Filippino singer.

 

 

Thats because they located in the middle of nowhere.I like to see vegas style casinos in bkk phk pty..

[maoro2013]

3 hours ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

I think you'll find that the "investors" are mostly Thai, as indeed are most of the gamblers.

What you say may well be right.

For us farangs, certainly right now, we are denied access across the border at this particular place. I am not sure why this changed, it was easy before

[JayBird]

5 hours ago, TEFLKrabi said:

Are the casinos at the Surin crossing open for everyone, Thais, Cambodians and farang alike?

I went through a couple years ago. However I was escorted by a Thai woman who is known to the guards. they checked my passport and were content.

 

 

[JayBird]

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Thats because they located in the middle of nowhere.I like to see vegas style casinos in bkk phk pty..

these casinos' are the most depressing places I've ever been. They are there to satisfy a gambling addiction, not as a place for fun and entertainment.

[Destiny1990]

2 minutes ago, JayBird said:

these casinos' are the most depressing places I've ever been. They are there to satisfy a gambling addiction, not as a place for fun and entertainment.

Would it bother u having a vegas casino 30 minutes from your home?

[JayBird]

3 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Would it bother u having a vegas casino 30 minutes from your home?

If I was living in Pattaya, no.

If I was trying to live in the quite rural country, yes.

 

Regardless, my point was more to how depressing the casino was.  Whether or not one should be built (of any type) is a separate discussion :)

 

 

[Destiny1990]

45 minutes ago, JayBird said:

If I was living in Pattaya, no.

If I was trying to live in the quite rural country, yes.

 

Regardless, my point was more to how depressing the casino was.  Whether or not one should be built (of any type) is a separate discussion :)

 

 

If a casino building can make you already depressed then probably u need to eat more bananas to stimulate your serotonin production?

[surangw]

whats the "special guest" fee this time around ?