BANGKOK: -- The government's crackdown on football betting is gathering momentum with the Justice Ministry threatening to enforce the anti-money laundering law against gamblers during Euro 2004 football tournament.

This is the same sort of rubbish that gets trotted out by the Thai authorities every time there is a major football tournament.

Whilst the Thai authorites would have no way of being able to crack the encryption of on-line betting sites, it wouldn't be too much of a problem for them to find out about any transactions made from a Thai bank account. Although it is unlikely that they would have any reason to do this unless acting on a tip off.

By using a foreign bank account and credit card there is no way for the Thai authorities to have any knowledge of any transactions made.

Now what I am really interested in is the statement made that foreign on-line betting sites are not illegal and that any winnings on them are taxable. This seems totally contradictory to current Thai law. Would love to hear some clarification of this. Maybe someone could contact the relevant ministry and inquire what the tax rate is on internet gambling winnings..........

Ossie, probably best to keep your poker playing to yourself whilst in Thailand. That said one of the sites I play on actually has quite a few Thais who play on it, in fact the site is even available in Thai.

Now what I am really interested in is the statement made that foreign on-line betting sites are not illegal and that any winnings on them are taxable. This seems totally contradictory to current Thai law. Would love to hear some clarification of this. Maybe someone could contact the relevant ministry and inquire what the tax rate is on internet gambling winnings..........

.

I can guess which current deputy PM and former PM of military rank had a hand in formatting that decision ..... after all he (in his wife's name) own several casinos just across the border (allegedly).