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Cambodian Casino Town Opens Borders24 March 2003POIPET, Cambodia – As reported by the AFP: "Life in this frontier town famous for its casinos is limping back to normal following the reopening of the border with Thailand. "Dozens of Khmer and Thai villagers gathered along a canal separating the two countries to watch a ceremony marking the end of a seven-week border closure and, hopefully, the start of more stable times. "'We are thrilled about the reopening,' said Nantachai Wongwattanaboolpol, a Thai chef in one of the larger casinos. "…Poipet's prominent business empires - seven lavishly appointed casinos literally a stone's throw from Thailand - have been haemorrhaging since Jan 29, when anti-Thai riots were unleashed in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. "…It brought trade, tourism and the notoriously excessive Thai gambling habit to a standstill. "Checkpoints were reopened temporarily a few weeks later but Thailand, where casinos are illegal, refused its nationals permission to enter Cambodia for gambling excursions. "…Poipet's casinos have been losing up to US$12 million (S$21.2 million) a week, according to a Thai military intelligence source…" |