1

What reputation are they aware of? The beautiful karst scenery, the ethnic villages within walking distance or the wide range of affordable hotels and restaurants?

2

I saw the same BBC program and I'm quite sure you refer to the Kings Royals Casino at Ban Khwan near Ton Phueng, Laos right at the Golden Triangle and across from Sop Ruak, Thailand. The Casino is open and ready for your bucks but the airstrip, which is to be over 2 km long, is still under construction. There's a Laos Immigration office on the Mekong by the casino but I'm not sure if it's a regular visa on arrival or some other gamblers special entry that you can get. You can get to the casino by songtaew buses from Huay Xay I think but it's easier to come thru Thailand and cross the Mekong.

3

Naphobo, wanderingstraycat, many tks, am sure maphobo has identified the one - it is designed to cater principally for the Chinese market.

Chucho, Westwood - these oldies are aware of the drunks and druggies scene being in stark contrast to the natural beauty of the area because there have been 2 articles in the serious press. I suspect we shall soon see some mor adverse reports on national TV shortly.

4

I was up in Bokeo province a year back and took a quick run up to the casino. Terrible place, nothing but a blot on the landscape.

5

dig through for links to pics in replies #33, #36 & others:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1757221

6

The one in Boten has closed.

7

Thank Christ for that Vientianeboy.

I wonder if it has something to do with the 13 Chinese killed by pirates on the Mekong last year? From what I heard, the casino was being used to launder money from the yaba trade.

8

#9:
there were reports in the Chinese language news (think some of it made it into the English language media) about Chinese gamblers being held captive there in order to force their relatives back home to pay off their gambling debts...things got kinda messy & the Chinese government decided to do something...that was quite some time before the incident on the Mekong that you mentioned took place.

9

Still laughing at #11.

Only in Asia!

10

I visited the newish Bokeo casino in April (not from choice, the provincial govt wanted to show it off) - about an hours drive north of Namkeung district. This is the "Kings Romans" casino in Tonphueng district, not the Boten one which is shut. Kings Romans started in 2010 and is open, but the complex is far from finished if you beleive their development plan which inlcudes a zoo, a horseriding centre, a luxury clubhouse etc

It was very weird - a huge painted concrete complex in the middle of a dusty flat area, all the villages having been relocated. There was a line of limos on the riverbank to meet people coming over from thailand, with a Hummer with a tiger hanging its head out the window in front.

Inside the casino you are greeted by a dozen very tall cathoey. Huge cavernous marble rooms with about 10 bored looking chinese gamblers spread over a floor area of several hundred m2.
Probably useful for laundering money but not a tourist destination.

Edited by: nabanga