The gambling sector has become even more deeply involved in the long-standing dispute between Thailand and Cambodia following the destruction of two casinos.
According to the Bangkok Post, on Tuesday, December 9, Thai military forces destroyed a casino building in Cambodia using tank guns, claiming it had been used to store artillery, machine guns, and other weapons.
Just a day earlier, the Thai air force struck another casino in Cambodia, which was believed to have served as a drone control center.
The long-standing territorial dispute has flared up again. Thailand and Cambodia have been contesting sovereignty along their 800-kilometer land border for over a century, and the region has almost continuously been a site of armed incidents.
In July, US President Donald Trump helped broker a ceasefire between the two nations after tensions escalated amid gunfire and the death of a Cambodian soldier.
However, clashes have erupted once more, with both sides accusing each other of firing into civilian areas.
Cambodia reports that at least seven civilians have been killed and around 20 injured. Meanwhile, Thai authorities have stated that three soldiers were killed, while more than 125,000 people have been forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in temporary camps.
July’s clashes led to the removal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra from her position as Thailand’s leader, ending hopes for passing a casino bill that would have legalized land-based gambling as part of a network of integrated resorts.
A leaked phone call revealed Shinawatra criticizing the actions of the Thai army in a conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. This prompted her suspension amid protests in Bangkok, where demonstrators demanded her resignation.
The Constitutional Court of Thailand later fully removed her from power, and the casino bill was withdrawn.
Shinawatra was replaced by Anutin Charnvirakul, a member of the Bhumjaithai Party and a staunch opponent of gambling.
Since becoming prime minister, he has repeatedly blocked any attempts to bring the casino bill back for discussion — a stance also supported by Xi Jinping, as Thailand seeks to restore relations with China and strengthen its appeal to Chinese tourists.
#ThailandCambodia #CasinoIndustry #GamblingPolicy #AsiaGaming #Geopolitics #RegionalSecurity #IntegratedResorts
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