THRIVING DENS

The number of Thais crossing to Poipet has increased under this government, to 3,000 a day. Most go to gamble

STORIES BY NAOWARAT SUKSAMRAN, PHOTOS BY TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD, SA KAEO

Casinos are doing a thriving business in the border town of Poipet in Cambodia.

Each day, 3,000 Thais enter Cambodia through the Klong Luek-Poipet checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district. The daily figure shoots up to almost 10,000 during the long holiday period.

The above figures only include passport-holders, as Sa Kaeo residents can seek border passes to enter the neighbouring country.

Over 80% of Thai holiday-makers entering Cambodia through the checkpoint end up in casinos. The rest either head for Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.

Cambodian casinos opposite Sa Kaeo are the most popular destinations for Thai gamblers as they can be easily reached.

Immigration officer Pol Lt-Col Sompong Kaenchan said the number of gamblers dropped dramatically during the previous administration when the Thai border authorities were ordered to tighten border crossing regulations and told to install closed-circuit cameras at the checkpoints.

The same government flirted with the idea of legalising gambling, to stop the flow of money across the border to Cambodia.

Business picked up after the easing of regulations to facilitate visitors who are now only required to show their passport to gain entry.

One gambler said the casinos in Cambodia are a boon for Thai gamblers.

"Whenever police step up raids on gambling dens in Bangkok, gamblers flock to border casinos," he said.

Eu-ee, a travel agent, said casino operators provide gamblers with free transportation. Every morning, double-decker buses await gamblers at Lumpini park and some major department stores.

Gamblers travelling in a group can ask for a pick-up at a designated location in Bangkok or nearby provinces, such as Saraburi, Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Pathom.

Any gambler ordering gambling chips worth 10,000 baht or more at any of the casinos is entitled to a free ride, free food as well as free accommodation.

The ride can cost you 100 baht if you have to pay out of your own pocket, he said.

Serm Chantapan, chief of Ta Yak tambon organisation administration, said some local people have made a fortune providing transportation for the gamblers. However, when many tried their luck at the gambling tables they ended up losing even their vehicles.

The TAO chief said he has time and again tried to discourage Sa Kaeo people from gambling through all sorts of measures. Teachers are told to regularly lecture their pupils in school on what harm gambling could bring to the family so that they could get the message across to their parents.

"The casinos are no good to our economy as the social impact is immense, not only on our community, but the whole country," Mr Serm said.

The hope of making a quick fortune has also kept the locals away from hard work. "Betting pays off better than selling vegetables and fish in a market," one vendor said.

She pointed out many vendors crossed the border to play slot machines and pocketed 300-500 baht a day, much higher than the daily earnings of 100-200 baht they generally make in a market.

Such a mindset has given business operators in the province a headache.

Ratri Saengrungruang, who runs a tour agency, said besides the labour shortage, job-hopping was another problem as many prefer to spend their time in a casino where they can earn big tips.

It is no secret that Thai politicians own many gambling dens in neighbouring countries, where they can make lavish income and also launder their ill-gotten gains.

"Politicians-turned-casino owners enjoy privilege. They need not step out of their car for customs clearance, especially after the closed-circuit cameras were installed, as the images were also relayed to the Prime Minister's Office," a source said.

A veteran politician, whose business at the Golden Triangle went down, now runs two casinos in Poipet. Among Thai casino operators are an oil trader and a steel importer, said the source. "Casino earnings are their accumulated capital, and part of the earnings will be injected into the upcoming election," said the source. According to a report published in a Cambodian daily, US$16 million in tax went into Cambodian government coffers last year from 24 legal casinos on the Thai-Cambodian border.