| Poipet casino hotel fire | |
| Time: | 11:30 pm |
| Timezone: | ICT, UTC+07:00 |
| Place: | Poipet, Cambodia |
| Cause: | (preliminary) Overheated wires caused by New Year's Day decorations[1] |
| Reported Death(S): | 27 |
| Reported Injuries: | 112 |
On 28 December 2022, a fire at a casino hotel in Poipet, Cambodia, killed at least 27 people.[2]
Poipet is a border town in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia which is about from the Thai border, just opposite of the Thai city of Aranyaprathet.[3] Under Cambodian law gambling is prohibited for citizens, but is allowed for foreigners. Because most types of gambling are also illegal in Thailand,[2] Poipet is popular with Thai gamblers.[2] The Grand Diamond City is a casino hotel which backs onto the Thai border. The business employs 400 staff.[2] The casino was owned by fugitive Thai politician Vatana Asavahame, aged 86 at the time of the fire, who was sentenced in absentia to three years in jail for land-procurement fraud.[4]
At 23:30 on 28 December 2022, a fire broke out in the Grand Diamond City when hundreds of people were in the building.[2] At least 27 people were killed (most of them as a result of smoke inhalation or falling) and 112 others were injured.[5] Seventeen of the dead were Thai nationals, and one each were Nepalese, Malaysian, and Chinese.[5] At least 27 of the injured were treated in hospitals.[5]