At Thailand-Laos Border, A Shadow Economy Thrives
A silhouette of the casino’s golden domes and gaudy crown appears in the distance, standing out like a sore thumb against the landscape of lush tropical hills in this northwestern corner of Laos. The Ton Pheung district is part of a special economic zone (SEZ) — deep in Southeast Asia’s drug-producing Golden Triangle — and the enormous Kings Roman Casino is its beating heart.
