Kampot fears influx of Chinese
The proliferation of casino resorts in Cambodia has caused backlash among residents who say the gaming halls are disruptive and have kicked off a “gold rush” of foreign investment that’s driving up the cost of living and changing local culture.
According to a BBC News report, there are now two casinos on Bokor Mountain with more to come after an 18,000-hectare (44,400-acre) resort, now in development, is complete. They are adjacent to a popular national park.
The repercussions of such development may be most evident in Sihanoukville, according to the report. The coastal city has become “the heart of Chinese investment in Cambodia,” crowded with “Chinese supermarkets, flashy condos and casinos.”
Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, co-founder of the local environmental group Mother Nature, said much of the Chinese investment “comes hand-in-hand with large influxes of Chinese nationals into the areas where they happen, which in many instances tends to push away the local population or worsen their standard of living” as well as damage the environment.
While Chinese trade has boosted some industries including retail, real estate and agriculture, there’s a downside, said Anthony Galliano, CEO of financial services company Cambodian Investment Management.
“While China’s investment capital hastens Cambodia’s infrastructure and economic development, it comes with some self-serving interests for China,” he said—including an increase in a lower-paid local workforce and the displacement of locals in favor of Mainland Chinese workers.
Residents of Kampot near Sihanoukville fear a similar fate, though Ros Phearun, deputy director of the finance ministry, told the BBC there are no plans to bring casinos to Kampot to preserve the town’s “eco-tourism.”
Farm worker Chem Makara isn’t so sure. Though he’s received generous offers for his home there, he told the BBC, “Kampot is a special place. We live here because we want to be closer to nature.”
He and others aren’t certain the government will be able to resist the lure of new investment and development, including casinos.
