Cambodia News (Battambang): On January 28, 2021, the patrolmen of Samlot police station detained 15 casino workers in Peam Ta village, Somlot district, Battambang, who crossed the Thai border and entered Cambodia illegally in two cars.

Those 15 Thai people were casino workers in Poipet and were transferred to Veal Veng where they were detained for questioning. The 15 Thai people were: 13 from Chiangrai, 1 from Chiangmai, and 1 from Bangkok, and 11 of them were women. There were 2 Cambodian drivers, Kim Lai, 37 years old, and Heng Ath, 40 years old. The police confiscated 2 cars.

The 15 Thai people were sent to the Immigration Department for deportation back to Thailand.

Another three Thai women were arrested at the border last night, while attempting to illegally cross into Cambodia, after being promised work in illegal online casinos in Poipet.


Cambodia News, (Poipet City) : Cambodian soldiers in Sa Kaeo province arrested three Thai women and a broker who were illegally crossing the border into Cambodia in the area of ​​Nang Ya Keo commune, Sa Kaeo province, last night, August 12, leading up to August 13, 2021.

The four illegal immigrants were taken to be interrogated at the headquarters of the 4th Regiment. Border authorities said that after interrogation, the three Thai women told the police that they chose to go to work in Cambodia voluntarily after they saw casino work advertised through the job section called "Find a job in Poipet, Aranya - Sa Kaeo".
According to the Thai broker, he claimed to have been hired by a Cambodian businessman to bring the Thai women to the Cambodian border, for a fee of 2,000 baht per person, where the women would be met by a Cambodian guide and taken into Cambodian territory.
However, the group were dropped on the road where the police were waiting, and they were arrested and taken into custody.

Illegal immigration between Cambodia and Thailand is flowing both ways: The Cambodian casinos on the Thai border continue to recruit illegal Thai immigrants, while Thai farmers and factories are employing illegal Cambodian farm workers, who are so desperate that they pay to get jobs across the border.

Thai police arrested 5 Thai people crossing into Cambodia to work at Poipet casino*

Cambodia News, Banteay Meanchey Province: In the early hours of 10 September 2021, Thai police arrested five Thai male nationals who were attempting to illegally cross the border in Cambodia. The men said that they were going to work in prearranged jobs at casinos in Poipet.


* It is not clear if Poipet casinos are officially open for business, and if that is the case, where are the customers coming from ? As stated above, the Thai casino workers have to enter Cambodia illegally because the Thai land border with Cambodia is officially closed.

Thought for the day: Cambodians are not allowed to gamble, and no foreign tourists are allowed to enter the Kingdom, so who are the casino customers ?