Golden Triangle casino sets clocks to Beijing time

The Laotian section of the Golden Triangle, which intersects with Thailand and Myanmar and has long been known for producing drugs, has become a gambling destination for Chinese gamblers.
According to the AFP, the Chinese-owned Kings Romans casino in Ton Pheung, the centerpiece of a 10,000-square meter special economic zone (SEZ), receives a steady stream of Chinese gamblers. However, its scale is dwarfed by its rivals in Macau, and also by its Southeast Asian neighbors Cambodia and Vietnam.
The AFP article describes venturing inside the SEZ – which was set up by the Laos government with investment from China – as “stepping into mainland China.” “The clocks are all set to Beijing time, while Mandarin and other Chinese dialects are commonplace and the main currency is the yuan,” it noted, adding that most employees are Chinese or from Myanmar.
The report also cited observers saying that the SEZ has become a place to wash dirty money from China, as well as a haven for local criminal networks. “Cash-based commercial activities, such as casinos, currency exchange shops or even just restaurants, offer better opportunities to introduce to the legitimate economy money [that has been] obtained through illegal activities,” warned Giovanni Broussard of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, as quoted by the AFP.
Moreover, the author noted that the SEZ also caters to those with illegal culinary tastes, as visitors can openly buy products from endangered species. These include tigers, leopards, elephants, rhinos and bears, as there are restaurants offering sautéed tiger meat, bear paws and live pangolins on their menus.
The article cited the NGO’s report, pointing out that “one business kept a live python and a bear cub in cages, both of which were available to eat on request,” before adding that the unmasked businesses were no longer seen open in April.