Cuddly toy crane machines: Huge meeting discusses "gambling menace"

 

Picture: Daily News

 

A well-attended meeting was held on Tuesday to discuss what critics have called a gambling menace.

 

The machines with a crane where you try to grab a cuddly toy after inserting a coin.

 

DOPA - the Department of Provincial Administration - met with department store chiefs, the police, customs and a whole host of other interested parties after complaints from gambling awareness groups convinced that the machines are corrupting children and youth.

 

The meeting heard that there were 1,551 of the machines at 75 well known department stores nationwide.

 

And more were flooding in all the time.

 

The meeting stopped short of an overall ban as a compromise seems to have been reached in the meantime.

 

Department stores were told to step up their procedures to ensure that young people were not gambling on the machines.

 

Daily News described how the machines fall under gambling legislation saying that they need permits.

 

If they are operated without permits the operator faces a 2 year stretch in prison or 2,000 baht fine - even both.

 

The trouble is that the Interior Ministry has decided not to issue permits any more.

 

Thaivisa notes that a lot of money is at stake regarding the cuddly toy crane issue and it remains to be seen if the machines are ultimately run out of Thailand.

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-02-21

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But the lottileeeee is fine!  ?????

 

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

Department stores were told to step up their procedures to ensure that young people were not gambling on the machines

They are toys, are adults supposed to play on them???

Pandemic disease - no problem.

 

Teddy bears - threatens the country.  

The lottery, horse racing, the stock market, driving on the roads here, etc? They're bloody cuddly toys, for heaven's sake.

 

What an odd bunch of people it is that run this country. 

Edited February 21, 20206 yr by rkidlad

15 minutes ago, thequietman said:

But the lottileeeee is fine!  ?????

Can hab too time a munt . Is good - yes ?

What about the illegal Lottery and betting on the last 2 numbers on the stock market, 

32 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Can hab too time a munt . Is good - yes ?

In my village - effelee day. ????

Gotta be right up there with other nefarious activities like Bridge, Darts and Dominoes. What's next? Busting old ladies Mahjong circles?

3 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

 

They are toys, are adults supposed to play on them???

 

Only if they have a Thai ID card...

 

 

they are really Clutching at Straws now...

but could find which of the machines had 'that' game?

 

 

Pick Up Stix will be next?

Oh well.  Ban the use between 2 and 5 pm, it's done wonders for other perceived social ills.

4 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

Oh well.  Ban the use between 2 and 5 pm, it's done wonders for other perceived social ills.

 

what! are school kids really home by 5pm? ???? 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

the machines are corrupting children and youth.

 

So in effect, setting them up for a bright lucrative future where they will fit into society perfectly! 

 

 

Edited February 21, 20206 yr by PatOngo

21 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

 

They are toys, are adults supposed to play on them???

Yes in Thailand!

How utterly, utterly pathetic.

 

And of course, the inevitable men in camouflage suits to inspect and enforce.

 

Maybe they will need to issue a special "cuddly toy ops" camouflage uniform to those deployed to combat this menace - overprinted with patterns of Hello Kitty, Winnie the Pooh (although that might upset their Chinese masters!) and assorted other cartoon characters?

 

There are so many more practical and useful things for children to spend their time on rather than playing with cuddly toys.

Edited February 22, 20206 yr by JAG

Terrible things that should be banned.

 

Correct moves from authorities.

 

Rooster

Who was the minister that wasted 1000thb through repeated attempts to pick up the cuddly toy worth 20thb?

just how pathetic this is.....a machine to give pleaseure to young generation AND IT IS CLASSED as GAMBLING ????!!!

I think the machines are there for youngsters pleasure, trying to win a cheap prize ( which to a kid is great pleasure if they win) and they get a nice little cuddly bear.....JUST WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS ??

Edited February 22, 20206 yr by tinca tinca
wrong spelling

23 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

 

They are toys, are adults supposed to play on them???

They are a scam, their computer makes sure you won't get too much out of them by changing the voltage of the grabber so it will drop the thing you grabbed.

On 2/21/2020 at 9:34 AM, webfact said:

DOPA - the Department of Provincial Administration - met with department store chiefs, the police, customs and a whole host of other interested parties after complaints from gambling awareness groups convinced that the machines are corrupting children and youth.

Watching the government at play is more harmful to kids than machines with cuddly toys!

Well, that was a productive meeting then.

 

"In summary Gentlesomchai's, continue as normal".

Those machines are 'Thieves'..... They are designed with Not enough pressure' on the tongs to grab and 'HOLD' the weight of the toy... Only borderline stregnth so maybe one time out of a hundred it will hold on to the toy....

They are moneymaking thievs... I'm actually amazed that the RTP hasn't used them to make 'More' money.... LOL   But I guess they are making enough from all the roadblock 'Helmet' checks...

Edited February 22, 20206 yr by kensawadee
correct spelling one word

3 hours ago, tinca tinca said:

just how pathetic this is.....a machine to give pleaseure to young generation AND IT IS CLASSED as GAMBLING ????!!!

I think the machines are there for youngsters pleasure, trying to win a cheap prize ( which to a kid is great pleasure if they win) and they get a nice little cuddly bear.....JUST WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS ??

They are a bloomin' menace that's what. Kids pester their parents for coins and the machines are rigged.

 

It's actually a huge issue because there is so much money at stake. Definitely not some kids game that should be allowed. These machines should be run out of Thailand.

 

It may not happen though...as I say, lots of money involved.

 

Rooster

This is just a news filler to take discussion away from other really important things...Even stupid people know this is stupid.....

Edited February 22, 20206 yr by fforest1

No these things are no good as they are rigged and there rarely is a winner, ban them I say.

6 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

No these things are no good as they are rigged and there rarely is a winner, ban them I say.

The fun is in playing not winning....Everyone knows there are few winners...

13 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

No these things are no good as they are rigged and there rarely is a winner, ban them I say.

Of course they are fairground machines been around for years i played on them as kid yes of course they are rigged or at least designed so you dont win often

38 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

This is just a news filler to take discussion away from other really important things...Even stupid people know this is stupid.....

At times like this, flu viruses, opposition parties and MPs being banned, with  army and other "party" via proxy government now in total control. large part of population not happy...... yes of course Teddy bears are bad

3 hours ago, poohy said:

Of course they are fairground machines been around for years i played on them as kid yes of course they are rigged or at least designed so you dont win often

At times like this, flu viruses, opposition parties and MPs being banned, with  army and other "party" via proxy government now in total control. large part of population not happy...... yes of course Teddy bears are bad

Yes I played them as a kid as well that's why I don't like them. 

On 2/21/2020 at 1:14 PM, PatOngo said:

So in effect, setting them up for a bright lucrative future where they will fit into society perfectly! 

 

 

Well, Thai society anyway.

 

The only think missing now is a few guns and some yaba tabs. Then it would be perfect.

Edited February 22, 20206 yr by ParkerN