Clampdown On Soccer Betting

Soccer betting clampdown

BANGKOK: -- Several known soccer betting syndicates in Bangkok are being kept under close surveillance now the new European soccer season has begun, the city police chief said yesterday.

Pol Lt-Gen Pansiri Prapawat said every police station in the city now has a special team to crack down on soccer betting and bookies and they exchange information.

Police had blacklisted 93 of the 1,095 bookies arrested during last year's Euro soccer tournament, Bets totalling 555 million baht were involved.

Major bookmakers being watched included Yong Laksong, who was previously arrested with betting lists totalling 200 million baht, Sin Samrerng (172 million baht), Thep Hansa (61 million baht) and Uan Chaiwes (14 million baht).

Other syndicates took bets from school and university students, such as Rat Cathaleeya in Soi Mahadthai, LD in Soi Kingpetch and the SE, Sommai, Jack, Jingjok Thong, Thara and Yao syndicates which operated near Ramkhamhaeng University.

A source said police usually crack down on soccer betting at the start of the season and then ease off after the bribes are paid. Bets could also be placed on the internet with legal bookmakers in England, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-11