VOA标准英语2012--Chinese Company Bets Big on Laos Casino Project

Chinese Company Bets Big on Laos Casino Project

The Chinese-run Kings Romans’ casino is one of the most noticeable and flashy features on the Lao side of the Mekong River’s Golden Triangle.

Kings Romans signed a 99-year lease with the Lao government to develop and run a special economic zone in a stretch of rural land spanning more than 100 square kilometers. 

The plans are ambitious. “Here will be the airport. Here will be the industrial zone. Here will be a bridge to connect with Thailand and Burma. The whole project will be finished within the next 20 years," explains a staff member while pointing at a map.

For now, the future airport runway is still just a road. 

But construction is brisk and workers are chopping down forests and flattening¹ hills. 

Hundreds of people displaced by the building have already been relocated, and given new houses in the recently opened Golden Triangle Village. 

During a recent gathering² for a funeral, new residents played cards, gambled and talked about life in the company-built village. 

Ouy Kham says there are not enough trees, making it too hot to grow food. Her children now farm in Thailand to make money. “In the old village we had income but coming to this village we only spend money. We don’t know what to sell to earn a living. Living here we cannot grow anything. We try to grow vegetables but they are not healthy," she said. 

As Kings Romans’ remakes the Golden Triangle’s skyline, there are new jobs for workers with the right skills. 

Burmese laborer³ Khun Kyar Kan has been working in the special economic zone for three years. Even though the pay is better than back home, he says there are drawbacks. “In Burma I worked in farming. It was my own job and I could set my own working schedule… Here I am always worried about losing my job because I cannot find another job. There is only one company here," he said. 

For now, trade ships and fishermen are the picture of life here on the Mekong River. 

But Kings Romans is betting hundreds of millions of dollars that Asia’s growing wealthy will soon join them as a fixture⁴ of the scenic⁵ and notorious Golden Triangle.

1 flattening   

n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词

参考例句：

• Flattening of the right atrial border is also seen in constrictive pericarditis. 右心房缘变平亦见于缩窄性心包炎。
• He busied his fingers with flattening the leaves of the book. 他手指忙着抚平书页。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 laborer   

n.劳动者，劳工

参考例句：

• Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。
• He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。

4 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。

5 scenic   

adj.自然景色的，景色优美的

参考例句：

• The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。
• The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。