SIHANOUKVILLE – A businessman leaves a smoky room US$1,500 poorer from a game of baccarat at a casino in Sihanoukville – an increasingly common scene in the Cambodian beachtown as it becomes a honeypot for Chinese gamblers and investors, striving to become a “New Macau”.
“It’s not so bad if I lost tonight,” said Dong Qiang, adding: “I will try my luck tomorrow.”
The coastal capital of Preah Sihanouk province – named after Cambodia’s revered late king – was once a sleepy fishing community before being claimed first by Western backpackers, and then wealthy Russians.
This file photo taken last month shows a Chinese-owned casino in Sihanoukville, the coastal capital of Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province. – AFP
