The border city of Poipet between Cambodia and Thailand is currently experiencing a rare downturn in the gambling industry. Over the past week, influenced by Thailand's tightened border entry policies and reduced port opening hours, about 10 local casinos have seen almost no revenue, with business nearly dropping to zero. They have had to respond to this predicament by massively laying off staff, with some casinos cutting their workforce by more than eighty percent, putting hundreds of employees' livelihoods at risk.
According to border patrol officers, Thailand has recently intensified its scrutiny of border crossing personnel, significantly shortening transit times and complicating procedures. Not only has the number of travelers drastically decreased, but commuting employees are also affected. The casinos, which rely on customer flow to maintain operations, have seen a cliff-like drop, leading to nearly empty venues and pushing them to the brink of paralysis.
Meanwhile, Thai border control has also discovered individuals with Thai nationality attempting to cross the border using forged casino employee IDs, exhibiting suspicious behavior. The police suspect these individuals might be intending to engage in telecommunications fraud, cross-border crime, and other activities in Poipet, and have legally confiscated the fake IDs and initiated further investigation procedures.
Industry insiders state that Poipet has always been a gambling hub on the Cambodia-Thailand border, but the sudden change in circumstances has caught many venues off-guard. Several operating executives are being forced to consider transformation and layoff plans, and are calling on Thai authorities to adjust policy pacing to avoid causing irreversible damage to the entire regional gambling industry chain.
It is understood that Poipet's casinos have long relied on Thai customers and Thai staff, and any adjustment in border policies can significantly shake the entire industry's ecosystem. If the current situation does not improve, there is widespread concern within the industry that more casinos will have to face closure or even permanent shutdown in the future.
