The government of Sihanoukville, a coastal city in southwestern Cambodia, has ordered a Chinese-backed casino to cease operations, reportedly to no avail.
According to Radio Free Asia, the Jin Ding Hotel and Casino was ordered to close down in March because it is operating without a license and has polluted a local beach by releasing untreated sewage into the sea.
City Hall spokesman Kheang Phyrum said the casino’s owner, Zhou Jianhua, has ignored two orders to close. The city will send a third notice and if he fails to comply, “We will forcefully demolish (it) and file a complaint to the court.
“The casino has operated without a license and there are no permits from local authorities,” Phyrum said. “Those two reasons are enough.”
Environmentalist Meng Heng hinted that the city may be dragging its feet due to corruption, RFA reported. “The casino is operating illegally,” said Meng Heng. “Why aren’t authorities taking any action?
But Phyrum promised that Jianhua “will face prosecution” if he continues to ignore the closure order.
Recently Andrew Klebanow, senior partner at Global Market Advisors spoke with CalvinAyre.com about the proliferation of gaming in Cambodia and especially in Sihanoukville, which has been marked for development by the government.
“There’s a term called the law on the management of casino gambling: the LCMG,” which identifies areas where casino gaming is “prohibited, favored and promoted,” Klebanow said. Sihanoukville is in the latter category, “targeted” by the government “for growth and tourism.”
“If you went to Sihanoukville today, you would see massive construction, no less than a dozen casino resorts and casino condominium projects going up,” Klebanow said.
That level of development hasn’t been welcomed by many locals who say Chinese investment in the community is a threat to Cambodian culture, has jacked up real estate prices, made the area unaffordable for some residents and has caused a spike in crime.
