Cambodia's casino loss is a Laos win

"After Cambodia started quarrelling with Thailand, casino fans are heading to casinos in Laos instead," a man familiar with the situation disclosed.

Identifying himself only as Porn, this van owner has driven Thai gamblers to casinos in Laos and Cambodia for a long time.

"Cambodiabased casinos used to be more popular but the trend is changing," Porn said.

He said more than 6,000 Thais are now heading to Laosbased casinos each day.

Van services have long facilitated the flow of Thai gamblers to casinos in Thailand's neighbours.

Casino operators are paying Bt5,000 a day or more for each van filled with casino goers, drivers picking up passengers from all provinces in Thailand's Northeast.

It remains unclear whether the Thai gamblers have spurned the gambling complexes in Cambodia out of nationalist sentiment alone. Another possible reason is that many are concerned Cambodia and Thailand may suddenly close their shared borders.

However, whatever the true reason, trade is brisk along the route from Thailand to Laosbased casinos.

"Casino goers from the vans drop in to buy icy beer and snacks from my shop every day," said shop owner Amnat Charoen.

He said local radio stations also enjoyed higher advertising revenue because casinos from Laos were now buying ad time too.

Pol Major Sompong Poonsri, an inspector at an immigration checkpoint in Mukdahan, said the number of Thais going to Laos had increased by 20 and 30 per cent over the past week.

"But I can't say whether they are gamblers changing their destination. The peak season for tourism has started. It's possible that the increase comes from holidaymakers," Sompong said.

According to another source, the number of Thai gamblers going past the Chongchom checkpoint had clearly reduced since ties between Thailand and Cambodia had turned sour.

"On a holiday, at least 4,000 Thais used to visit the casinos on the other side. But now, the number is down to no more than 1,000," the same source added.

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Casinos and trading markets on ThaiCambodian borders:

1. The Trat port of entry (Ban Hat LekKho Kong) in Trat province

 Border trading market

 Casino: "Kho Kong International Resort"

2. The Ban Phak Kad checkpoint for border trade in Chanthaburi's Pong Nam Ron district

3. The Ban LaemBan Osokrom Pailin port of entry in Chanthaburi province

 Casinos "Caesar International", "Mongkutpetch" and "Dragon Club"

4. The Ban Khao Din checkpoint for border trade in Sa Kaew's Khlong Hat district

5. The Aranyaprathet port of entry (Ban Khlong LeukPoi Pet) in Sa Kaew province

 Border trading market

 Casinos: "Star Vegas", "Golden Crown Club" and "Holiday Palace"

6. The Ta Phraya checkpoint for border trade in Sa Kaew's Ta Phraya district

7. The permanent crossing point at the Chong Sai Taku mountain pass, Tambon Chantobpetch, Buri Ram's Ban Kruat district (Currently in process of applying for a checkpoint for border trade status)

8. The Chong Jom port of entry and border trading market in Surin's Kap Choeng district

 Casino: "Royal Hill Hotel Resort"

9. The Chong Sa Ngam checkpoint for border trade in Si Sa Ket's Phu Sing district

Thailand's trade volume with Cambodia by province in 2008:

Sa Kaew: Bt28,908.5million

Trat: Bt16,579.4million

Chanthaburi: Bt3,010.2million

Surin: Bt877.8million