Chinese film 'No More Bets' causes controversy in Southeast Asia

The depiction of Southeast Asian countries in the Chinese film 'No More Bets' has offended several Southeast Asian audiences. What was it that made the film so offensive to people in Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar?

All images are from Dirty Monkeys, unless otherwise stated.

'No More Bets' is a Chinese film that examines scams in Southeast Asia. According to a United Nations report, the subject material is a rather prevalent topic in these countries that has claimed victims not only from abroad but also from within these countries themselves.

From Sohu, director Shen Ao was inspired to make ‘No More Bets’ after being inspired by a case of a person who took their own life after being a victim of cybercrime and gambling in 2020.

Yangtse Evening Post reports that Shen Ao then focused on the topic of fraud and did research on three years worth of cases of overseas online fraud with the assistance of Chinese police and China’s official anti-fraud centre.

Other than its interesting subject material, ‘No More Bets’ boasts a stellar cast too. The film stars K-pop boyband EXO member Lay Zhang, actors Gina Jin and Yong Mei, and TV host Eric Wang as the show’s main characters.

According to China Daily, ‘No More Bets’ hit record numbers when it first screened and earned the title of being the first test-screened film to have the highest box office gross revenue.

Additionally, ‘No More Bets’ has topped the Chinese box office and is gaining strong traction in overseas markets, such as the UK and Ireland, Vanity reports.

Given its success and subject matter, The Japan Times reports that ‘No More Bets’ has even scared many tourists from the countries covered in the film, such as Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Aside from scaring tourists away from certain countries, 'No More Bets' has sparked two major controversies since its release: the exposure of the subtitle industry and condemnation from the Southeast Asian countries depicted in the film.

Sohu reports that a scene that depicted a subtitle group accepting gambling advertisements has caused the shutdown of a major subtitle group, Eden Subtitle Group, in China.

According to the same report, prior to the shutdown, the scene enraged members of the subtitle industry, who claimed that their portrayal in the film, while based on true events, had been twisted to fit the film's anti-fraud agenda.

Shenzhen Business Daily reports that the team behind ‘No More Bets’ has come forward to clarify that they had only intended to “promote the plot” and not to criticise the subtitle industry as a whole.

Other than causing controversy in China, ‘No More Bets’ has understandably caused some outrage in the countries that have been portrayed in the film by negatively impacting the reputation of these countries.

Due to how the film has already impacted tourist numbers in Thailand by harming the country's reputation, Lifestyle Asia reports that Thailand's government has responded in desperation to rejuvenate tourist numbers by allowing Chinese nationals to travel visa-free.

This measure is intended to encourage Chinese tourists to visit Thailand despite the film's damage to its reputation, as Chinese tourists account for a sizable portion of the country's tourism revenue.

According to an Agence France-Presse report, Cambodia's Association of Travel Agents has reported a net zero of incoming Chinese tourist groups to the country as a result of the film's reputational damage.

In retaliation, 8days reports that the Cambodian government has turned to blocking the release of ‘No More Bets’ in the country to mitigate it’s already-done damage.

Representatives from Cambodia's Ministry of Arts and Culture have also sent direct requests to Chinese authorities to halt the film's airing in order to repair its reputation, but to no avail.

The film's release has also had a negative impact on Myanmar, which has enraged the Burmese Junta, which is politically linked to the Chinese government.

According to Myanmar Now, the film was also barred from being shown in Myanmar due to its negative impact on the country's reputation.

The same report continues that the Junta has been seeking answers from the Chinese government in order to repair not only the reputational damage but also bilateral ties between the two countries.