Our World

CHINA relentlessly continues to expand its economic reach into Southeast Asia as it seeks markets and resources to feed its economic growth. In Laos there is an even greater example of this reach. The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone is a one hundred square kilometer property that lies directly across the Mekong River from Thailand and Burma in Laos. Here a Chinese company has been granted the long term right to development and in every sense of the word govern. The KingsRomans group has commenced development by laying down a system of wide streets and building the first of many planned hotels and casinos. This new “Macau” is designed to provide recreation for the Chinese living in the southwestern region of China who are transported by overnight buses from that region through Laos to what is being called Kapok City. Gamblers from Thailand can freely cross the river to place their bets at the casino though they must exchange their Thai baht for Chinese currency which is the legal tender in Kapok City.

What is the poor tourist to do if they want to visit Kapok City? Thai Immigration in the Golden Triangle tells us that it is not possible to cross over to this area. However they then tell us that we could visit an office of KingsRomans that is located several kilometers down the road in what had previously been a huge abandoned economic development building. At that office we do find willingness to assist us after some initial skepticism about our intentions. Soon our passports and 500 baht each ($16 USD) is being whisked away by a young man on a motorbike. Returning fifteen minutes later he presents us with a form issued by the Thai Immigration Office that we had previously visited. The form is addressed to Laos Immigration and begins
“I shall be grateful if you would kindly allow the persons mentioned below to enter for a period of three days. Your cooperation in this matter is highly appreciated”.

Next step was to get on a free small speedboat, under the cover of a large tarp (either to shield us from the sun or to shield passengers from being seen) and quickly arrive at the Kapok City. We wander off the boat and are directed up a long staircase to a gold domed office that is the Laotian Immigration Office. We surrender 200 baht each ($6 USD) and our passports (retained by the Lao officials who had some difficulty finding them when we departed the next day) and wander out the front door to our limo. The five minute drive down the six lane road reveals that many of the Laotian families remain in their small wooden houses to provide a work force for building Kapok City. Their villages and temples however were relocated outside the Zone.

Delivered to the front door of the casino we first head to the hotel to secure a room for the night and get rid of our bags. The Chinese staff at the hotel do not speak English but after their initial surprise they do get us a room. The room rate clearly posted in Chinese currency is three times what we had expected which in this part of the world generally means that business is bad (few customers -raise the price to get as much as you can from them). The room is fairly comfortable and though the hotel is virtually new it appears well worn already. All the amenities are there including as we were to find later armies of small ants unlike any we have encountered at any other hotel in our travels. As our room is on the second floor we conclude the ants have taken over much of the building.

KingsRomans quite obviously were impressed by Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas as inside and out it does its best to copy the design. The casino security made it quite clear that no photography would be allowed inside the casino- a rule that we did not feel inclined to test at least on this visit. Your foreign currency must be exchanged for Chinese money and you won’t find any ATMs or place to use credit cards. The casino was quite large with three main gaming areas, on two floors, complete with an array of tables for various card games and small banks of the latest slot machine designs. Curiously there were no roulette wheels except for one automated version. What was also evident were large numbers of small rooms located around the periphery of the gaming area that were labeled VIP Rooms. We got glimpses through the doors as people entered and exited of gaming tables occupied by the VIPs, who obviously sought not to have their presence noted.

During the two days we were in Kapok City we saw only one other non-Asian individual, seemingly a tourist that wandered through the casino with what appeared to be a guide. Previously we had heard that western staff had been working here but apparently their responsibility for training staff had been completed. There were only two places to eat in Kapok City a small café shop and the VIP Buffet in the casino. The Chinese buffet meal costs only 100 baht ($3) from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM and
50 baht from 11:00 PM to 11:00 AM, though the food offerings never seemed to change. However at best it might be called “cafeteria food”- very certain the VIPs had
somewhere else to eat that wasn’t made available to us. The staff brought a constant supply of free water and iced coffee but there appeared to be no alcoholic beverages being served to anyone (maybe in the VIP rooms it was different). Reluctant to report that it appeared almost impossible to lose money playing the slot machines (our winnings paid for the whole excursion). Conceivably management has not “adjusted” the machines properly so expect this will change in the future.

On the avenue named “Shopping Street” there were an array of businesses that catered to the “needs” of the visitors. A small grocery store packed with Chinese foodstuffs and an array of imported snacks and drinks. The rest of the operations were
massage parlors and clubs that offered services otherwise illegal in the rest of Laos.
Along the side of the gated hotel complex were small one room buildings that were
in operation after dark. In our hotel room the television had one free channel that showed continuous Chinese pornography or possibly it was just a close circuit view inside those little rooms.

If you want to visit would recommend you stay at the much better and cheaper hotels on the Thai side and go over for the day. Do stay for the evenings as the whole complex lights up like a Christmas tree which does tend to hide much of the garishness visible during the day. Hopefully this Zone will produce some benefit for the poor Laotians , but in many ways it is a huge geopolitical statement by the government of China.