Thai Police set to crack down on football gambling

[webfact]

Police set to crack down on football gambling
KWANHATHAI MALAKAN,
CHULEEPORN ARAMNET
THE NATION


File Photo

VENUES SHOWING WORLD CUP MATCHES, BOOKIES, SMS LUCKY DRAWS WILL BE TARGETED

BANGKOK: pp AHEAD OF THE World Cup kick-off on Thursday, police have launched an operations centre to crack down on football gambling, both online and offline, as well as SMS lucky draws.

According to a survey by Chulalongkorn University's Centre for Gambling Studies, 40 per cent of children who bet on football started as early as 15 and 52.6 per cent funded their habit with their own piggy bank money.

Pol General Aek Angsananont, deputy National Police chief and head of the centre, told a press conference yesterday that all unit heads would discuss suppression measures in a videoconference this morning.

Pol Maj-General Noraboon Naenna, deputy Central Investigation Bureau commissioner, said the centre would join with each police precinct to tackle gambling at entertainment establishments or other venues showing live matches. While landlords that allowed gambling on their premises could face a permit revocation, bookies, investors and gang members would also be arrested.

Pol Colonel Akkharadet Pimonsri from the Crime Suppression Division said police and the ICT Ministry would immediately close gambling websites.

Football gambling had surged 30 per cent due growth in Internet usage especially among students and working people in big cities, he said.

Police would monitor calls to the 191 and 1599 hotlines to arrest telephone bookies and operators of SME draws and other gambling channels.

Cases involving more than Bt10 million and over 100 people could also face legal action under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

As some desperate losers might seek easy cash to repay debts, police would also get tougher on robbers especially of banks, gold shops and 24-hour convenience stores.

Schools and banks were also urged to help alert police to student gambling behaviour and suspicious financial transactions.

Loan sharks using illegal methods for debt collection - as well as any police in their pockets - would also face severe legal action.

If police units nabbed gambling suspects in an area where local police were lax, they would face a probe over dereliction of duty, he added.

Nuannoi Trirat, director of the Centre for Gambling Studies, said 49 per cent of the 3,050 high school and vocational college respondents in eight provinces thought it was okay to wager on football matches with friends using other things besides cash as bets, while 21 per cent thought using cash added excitement to football viewing.

Almost 10 per cent thought it was alright to bet with bookies while 9 per cent were fine with betting online.

Asked when they first placed a football bet, 38 per cent of those with gambling experience cited the age range of 8-14, while 35 per cent cited 15 and 15 per cent said 16.

More than 37 per cent placed a bet once a week averaging Bt228 per time for the following reasons - more thrills to viewing (43 per cent), more serious game analysis (15 per cent), confidence to win (11 per cent), a risk habit (11 per cent) and peer pressure (10 per cent).

A majority of 53 per cent of the 10 per cent who said they intended to gamble on the World Cup 2014 matches were not worried about getting apprehended because they believed that football punters rarely got caught.

One-third of football-gambling youths were plagued with problems including having to find money illegally to clear gambling debts and getting severely stressed out to the point of seeking medical help and contemplating suicide, Nuanoi said.

Thanakorn Khomkrit, a coordinator of an anti-gambling network, called on parents and schools to work together to immunise youths against gambling and promote creative activities for them.

The network also provides a handbook for family football viewing at no charge. Those interested can call (02) 954 23446~7, he added.


-- The Nation 2014-06-10

[SoFarAndNear]

Cases involving more than Bt10 million and over 100 people could also face legal action under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

10 million baht? If you are involved in gambling under more money the majority in this country never will earn in their lifetime you don't have to worry about legal actions?!?

[englishoak]

VENUES SHOWING WORLD CUP MATCHES, BOOKIES, SMS LUCKY DRAWS WILL BE TARGETED.

[EricBerg]

"Cases involving more than Bt10 million and over 100 people could also face legal action under the Anti-Money Laundering Act."

Way to go.

..."police would also get tougher on robbers especially of banks, gold shops and 24-hour convenience stores."

Not with those robbing other places?

"Loan sharks using illegal methods for debt collection - as well as any police in their pockets - would also face severe legal action."

Don't all loan sharks do that? It's why they got their name. Did corrupt police ever face severe action on a large scale?

"If police units nabbed gambling suspects in an area where local police were lax, they would face a probe over dereliction of duty, he added."

Dream on.

"While landlords that allowed gambling on their premises could face a permit revocation, bookies, investors and gang members would also be arrested."

Sounds like all wrong-doers will be out of business soon.

It all sounds very much like Chalerm. Tough talk mainly. Let's see how the footie gambling will be "cracked". How is good ole Chalerm btw? I kind of miss him.

[alant]

Quite possibly the most unbelievable headline this year.

[Loles]

Ye, Ye, they have to start the crack down in their own house ....

[Chao Lao Beach]

After this world cup, there should be some bargains to be had as people have to clear their debts, to avoid their head being "cleared".

[pieeyed]

Was it not quoted somewhere that there would be more than 43 billion baht gambled on the world cup. That is a lot of tea money being missed, of course they will try to crack down for a %.

[Strangebrew]

Police were livid when they found out illegal football gambling going on and they didn't get a cut. So Now decide to teach lesson if you want to play you must pay.

[Lammbock]

Jesus! The Thais really know how to take the fun out of the World Cup.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Lammbock

[Paulzed]

Good luck with a crackdown on gambling, and all of the other illegal activities that go on every other day too!

[Mr Yim]

Wait for the crack down on prostitution. . . that will see tourist numbers reduced by 50%. 6 months and Thailand will be a Puritan Kingdom. . . and there was some of us thinking the Coup was a bad thing! Carry on General you are doing a great job.

[Halion]

If your right hand should offend you , cut it off.

[Emster23]

"To dream.... the impossible dream........

[PhilipCook]

At some point the economists should predict the impact to the Thai economy from various attempts to rid the country of selected fraud, waste and abuse. What about banning the casino buses from transporting hard working Thais to neighboring country casinos. What about forcing the State Railway of Thailand to become profitable within 2 years, shed some of its non core business like leasing land at sub-market rates to a certain shopping mall on Lad Prao. What about the reinforcement of existing laws to prevent Thai style Keiretsu/monopolyd/duopoly from dominating any business activities like retail, energy, media and so on to include government agencies and enterprises.

[HeavyDrinker]

Wait for the crack down on prostitution. . . that will see tourist numbers reduced by 50%. 6 months and Thailand will be a Puritan Kingdom. . . and there was some of us thinking the Coup was a bad thing! Carry on General you are doing a great job.

I hear Saudi is pleasant at this time of year. Why not head there your holiness if they let you on the plane with your brown nose that is?

[Tanlic]

Police set to crack down on football gambling?

That's great news does anyone know if they opend their accounts with William Hill or have they all gone with ladbrokes?

[TinoThailand]

[catweazle]

Police set to crack down on football gambling

Good luck!