Safe bet Stanley Ho couldn't stay quiet on ex-son-in-law

After shooting his mouth off about property tycoon Joseph Lau Luen-hung's rumoured illegitimate child with his 28-year-old assistant, casino magnate Stanley Ho Hung-sun is at it again, this time regarding former son-in-law Julian Hui Chun-hang's long-delayed marriage to actress Michele Reis.

Ho was celebrating his 87th birthday with a lavish dinner at Aberdeen's Jumbo Floating Restaurant (owned by his son Lawrence Ho Yau-lung) on Sunday night. Prodded by reporters outside to comment on the wedding that day of Reis and the shipping heir, who was once married to his daughter Pansy Ho Chiu-king, the tycoon tried to resist the bait but ultimately couldn't help himself.

Ho, who has previously said he didn't think much of Hui, was continually asked by reporters whether he had been invited to the wedding by the Hui family. 'I don't think so,' he said. Then he was asked if he thought this would be the last marriage for Hui, who was married to his daughter for nine years until they divorced in 2001. Ho couldn't resist a dig. 'I don't know, he may get married another eight or ten times, but that has nothing to do with me.'

We're starting to think the best thing about being rich and powerful is that you can say anything you want and still nobody will mess with you.