CHANTHABURI, Thailand — On a recent afternoon in eastern Thailand's Chanthaburi province, a simple white van pulled into the driveway of a modest home, and the town's five-year-old settled between pillows and blankets for the two-hour drive to Cambodia. border.
On arrival at the immigration checkpoint, a representative from a casino across the border in Pailin, Cambodia handed each Thai passenger a check for 500 baht ($15). The voucher will pay for their first bet at the baccarat tables and, if successful, will earn them enough winnings to cover the round trip fare for the shuttle.