Investors are still betting that gambling is a growth industry in Poipet.
Despite a recent announcement by Thailand’s Interior Ministry that it would establish more border checkpoint restrictions on Thais entering Cambodia to visit casinos, construction continues on two new gambling sites.
The new buildings should be finished by December, and would join the four existing casinos in the border town of Poipet in Banteay Meanchey province.
The number of Thais crossing into Cambodia has decreased to “more than 100” daily, down from the 200 to 300 visitors a day that entered before the Thais tightened the border, said Pich Saran, chief of the immigration police at the Poipet checkpoint. Casino gambling is illegal in Thailand.
Pich Saran said some casinos are laying off employees due to the reduction of customers. He said he is worried about the affect on Poipet’s economy.
“We have followed the agreement by both governments not to bar anyone from crossing the border,” said Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Cambodian Interior Ministry. He said that except for trying to catch smugglers, there is no reason to restrict people wanting to visit neighboring countries.
A Cambodian police official who asked not to be named said there is a jurisdictional conflict on the Thai side of the border. He said immigration police staff the checkpoint from 6 am to 5 pm, and Thai soldiers take over from 5 pm to 6 am. The two sides argue over the revenue collected.
Thai embassy officials declined to comment Tuesday.
Banteay Meanchey Governor Thach Khorn said relations with Thailand remain strong. He said he met recently with Thai businessmen from the nearby town of Aranyapathet who are considering investing in a water purification project for Poipet.
“We’re looking for a place for them to build,” Thach Khorn said. “There would be a contract with the province, and after the contract ends the facility would belong to [our] government.”
