Youth warned to avoid life-wrecking World Cup gambling trap

[webfact]

Youth warned to avoid life-wrecking World Cup gambling trap

By THE NATION

 

 

JUST HOURS before the month-long 2018 Fifa World Cup tournament kicks off in Russia, advocates against youths’ football gambling yesterday paraded in downtown Bangkok.

 

They were highlighting the 2017 survey which found that 2.4 million Thais had engaged in football gambling worth a reported sum of Bt140 billion, while 82.6 per cent of secondary student punters said they starting picking up the gambling vice via football betting. 

 

 

It was expected that over 10 per cent of Thai youths would place bets on football matches for this tournament, said Thai Health Promotion Foundation committee member Wichet Pichairat. 

 

Wichet spoke as he joined with other activists, the Defence Ministry, the Royal Thai Police and 100 youths in a campaign dubbed “None will gamble on matches in this World Cup” at the Victory Monument area. 

 

 

The campaign – aimed to pass on positive messages via various channels to stop all Thais, including youths, from gambling – will also see students from 10 universities produce four short films with anti-gambling content to air online and via roadshows to 100 secondary schools around the country, he said.

 

Wichet also cited research on gambling by youths during the 2016 UEFA European Football Championships, which found that 16.8 per cent of surveyed youths engaged in football betting. Some 10 per cent of this group initially had no intention to gamble but joined in under peer pressure or were induced by the hyper-emotional football atmosphere. 

 

 

About 40 per cent of those youth gamblers admitted to facing subsequent problems, such as declining academic performance, stress from having a gambling debt which they had no idea how to repay, and being cheated, he said.

 

Stop Gambling Foundation chief Thanakorn Khromkit said gambling addiction is like being trapped by one’s own greed, excitement-seeking, exaggerated self-confidence while making calculated guesses, and search for popularity or peer acceptance.

 

A former football gambling addict, 35, who asked for anonymity, shared his life-changing experience and a warning. He has been participating in the vice since the age of 17, hanging around computer-game shops, and making his first bet of Bt20 on a World Cup football match.

 

From that, he spiralled into the habit, becoming involved in gambling, and working as a small-time bookie. He was repeatedly cheated until he owed Bt2 million to larger bookies and had to flee his hometown to work in Bangkok as a bankrupt divorcee.

 

“I stopped gambling four years ago and am now working to repay debts,” he said. “Gambling addicts and those about to become one should learn from my mistake. Stop now before you lose everything – money, career, future or even your life.”

 

 

Meanwhile, deputy National Police Chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakan yesterday affirmed that police would continue to crack down on football gambling, including online gambling. On the first night of World Cup 2018, he planned to lead a team to visit Huai Kwang district to conduct random checks on football-broadcasting venues, he said. He warned that youths caught gambling may face a maximum three-month jail term, a maximum Bt30,000 fine, or both while their parents would also be charged.

 

Bangkok business establishments have been decorating their premises in the World Cup football theme, including many massage parlours on Rama IX Road and New Phetchaburi Road.

 

 

In the South, postmen of Songkhla’s Hat Yai district joined the hype by wearing the football attire of various national teams while handing out postcards for the 2018 Fifa World Cup lucky draw. 

 

 

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, a blacktip reef shark at Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium has “forecast” the opening World Cup game between Russia and Saudi Arabia would see the latter defeating the tournament hosts – which is in line with a June 12 prediction by a crocodile at Ubon Ratchathani Zoo.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30347780

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-15

[kannot]

1 minute ago, webfact said:

which they had no idea how to repay

Really, sheesh  so they want to gamble but dont know  how to repay......incredible

[kannot]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, a blacktip reef shark at Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium has “forecast” the opening World Cup game between Russia and Saudi Arabia would see the latter defeating the tournament hosts – which is in line with a June 12 prediction by a crocodile at Ubon Ratchathani Zoo

cant  beat the mentality here

[ZeVonderBearz]

The yout should ignore this advice, what do these guys know anyway? Plus, if you lose all your money when you're young, at least you have none for governments to take away from you to buy watches or tanks when you get older. My advice, stick all you own on England. 

[realfunster]

50 minutes ago, kannot said:

cant  beat the mentality here

Remember Paul the Octopus at Germany 2010 ? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Octopus

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

The yout should ignore this advice, what do these guys know anyway? Plus, if you lose all your money when you're young, at least you have none for governments to take away from you to buy watches or tanks when you get older. My advice, stick all you own on England. 

You mean stick all you own on the date england get knocked out?

[BobbyL]

It is strange that for a country that has gambling as illegal, they make a regular show and tell about how the public should be careful not to become addicted to gambling. It is illegal, therefore the public shouldn't be doing it and the law should be enforced. 

 

However, as I assume we all know or have been told, the boys in charge are the ones behind the scenes of the illegal gambling dens which can be found in any city / town here. 

[Greenside]

Why be cynical about this campaign?  Gambling does wreck lives and lots of people started on football for the reasons stated in the article.  If it stops a few people going down that road then it's surely worth the effort.

 

Sharks???  That's a different matter (although no more daft than relying on a groundhog to do your weather forecasting).

[flyingtlger]

You play, you PAY.....

 

[Anak Nakal]

Gambling bad!

Unless win!

????

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

had to flee his hometown to work in Bangkok as a bankrupt divorcee.

Interesting career choice.

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, a blacktip reef shark at Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium has “forecast” the opening World Cup game between Russia and Saudi Arabia would see the latter defeating the tournament hosts – which is in line with a June 12 prediction by a crocodile at Ubon Ratchathani Zoo.

Let’s hope they didn’t place a bet then...

Edited June 15, 2018 by Bluespunk

[chrisinth]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, a blacktip reef shark at Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium has “forecast” the opening World Cup game between Russia and Saudi Arabia would see the latter defeating the tournament hosts – which is in line with a June 12 prediction by a crocodile at Ubon Ratchathani Zoo.

There are times I appreciate the anti-gambling laws in Thailand.

 

I could have lost a fortune following the above forecasts.......................

 

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, a blacktip reef shark at Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium has “forecast” the opening World Cup game between Russia and Saudi Arabia would see the latter defeating the tournament hosts – which is in line with a June 12 prediction by a crocodile at Ubon Ratchathani Zoo.

You’ve got to wonder about an article on avoiding betting, then mentioning animals “forecasting” results.

 

Kind of defeats the purpose of the article. 

 

Still, no worries...who’d be dumb enough to place a bet on the basis of such superstitious BS?

Edited June 15, 2018 by Bluespunk

[jaltsc]

"82.6 per cent of secondary student punters said they starting picking up the gambling vice via football betting. "

 

WRONG!!!! They started picking up the habit from watching adults gamble. In a culture that believes in :"Good Luck/Joss" determining success and wealth, irresponsible gambling is prevalent throughout the society. This gambling isn't limited to sporting events. Unfortunately, they also gamble with their lives and those of others when they believe good luck trumps adequate driving skills. People start businesses with no planning, in hope that good luck will make them successful. They borrow from loan sharks and then are stuck with a debt which they cannot repay.  We see this type of gambling every day.

Edited June 15, 2018 by jaltsc

[madmitch]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

On the first night of World Cup 2018, he planned to lead a team to visit Huai Kwang district to conduct random checks on football-broadcasting venues

So, the good people of Huai Kwang knew to be very discrete.

 

Let us know where tonight's raids are going to be, please.

 

 

[fullcave]

7 hours ago, kannot said:

Really, sheesh  so they want to gamble but dont know  how to repay......incredible

They will have to ask threir Mommy. 

[ZeVonderBearz]

8 hours ago, overherebc said:

You mean stick all you own on the date england get knocked out?

England will not get knocked out until Qatar. Football is going home, you heard it here first. 

[Oziex1]

Have a wager on a game lose some baht,  get caught lose 30,000 baht.

Hmm.