No.16 - 04/2006
27 April 2006

Drugs

Ceasefire leader to open new gaming houses

Lin Mingxian aka Sai Leun, leader of the Mongla ceasefire group, is to preside over today's opening of 7 new casinos in Mongma, 143 miles from Maesai and 16 miles from the Chinese border, reports Tai Touch who arrived at the Thai border town yesterday.

The 7 gambling houses are all one-story and 3 more 2 story casinos are under construction in a 20 acre plot in Mongma's Wan Hsieo village.

"They will effectively replace those in Mongla: Ying Bing Huo, Oriental, London and the likes," said an officer of Lin's National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS).

Back in Kengtung, the seat of eastern Shan State, three more underground gambling dens have recently been added to the one already in operation at Nawngkawn, Quarter #4:

• Nawngpha, Quarter #5
• Kardhtai, 10 miles north of the city
• Nawngken, Quarter #5

• Triangle Regional Command       50,000 kyat
• Area Command                           30,000 kyat
• Police                                          30,000 kyat
• Township administration             30,000 kyat
• District administration                 30,000 kyat
• Militia and others                        30,000 kyat

"All these in spite of an order from the regional command that bans gambling on 2 April," said a civil government servant.

Related Report: Lin moves casinos out, 9 April 2006

Entry gate into Burma at Mongla. 


Burma's border checkpoint beyond archway, inside Burma about 200 meters.
Photos courtesy: public.asu.edu