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[Lite Beer]

Universities to tackle student gambling issue
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- MORE than 500,000 university students are addicted to gambling, and peer pressure, as well as media influence are major factors behind this, a study by Ramkhamhaeng University has revealed.

The most popular forms of gambling were found to be wagers on football, cards and the underground lottery.

In response to this finding, eight top universities have decided to launch a pilot project to curb gambling in campuses, particularly among first-year students.

Pongsathorn Chantarasamee, manager of the Information Centre for Gambling Control Public Policy (ICGP), cited the 2012-13 study on undergraduates done by Ramkhamhaeng University's Faculty of Mass Communication. It showed that more than 500,000 students either bet on football, play cards or buy underground lottery tickets.

The main factors were found to be peer pressure, media reports both online and in print, plus the lack of strict measures to control the habit. It was also found that this spawned other problems such as rising debt and prostitution.

Natthakorn Withitanon, a law lecturer at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, said a related study in the province showed that female students were more into gambling than their young men. He said most people don't think gambling is a major issue because their parents also buy the lottery, citing a survey in the South that found that people bet on boxing every Sunday, while also gambling on the lottery and stocks on a daily basis.

"Some people claim that their children's tuition fee is earned this way," Natthakorn said.

Chatchai Ngernphoklang, a political science lecturer at Maha Sarakham University, said moves to prevent students from gambling should start from the first year in university, and it could take the form of senior students guiding their juniors.

He said universities could opt for short films or holding anti-gambling activities on different days of the month, as well as include education against gambling in the student-orientation programme so it is imprinted in freshmen's minds.

Asst Prof Nivech Arunberkfah, from the humanities and social science faculty at Prince of Songkhla's Pattani campus, said the anti-gambling campaign could be linked to religion like in the South. For instance, gambling is considered evil under Sharia law, so any money earned from betting would be considered sinful.

Burapha University's political science and law lecturer Vichien Tansirikongkhon said eight universities decided to conduct studies in their respective campuses, and then create and propose guidelines to the ICGP. They could also organise a mutual "campus visit" programme to learn and network, before it is turned into an anti-gambling campaign in other universities, he added.

The eight universities are Chandra-kasem Rajabhat, Ramkhamhaeng, Burapha, Kasetsart, Chiang Rai Raja-bhat, Maha Sarakham, Walailak and Payap.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Universities-to-tackle-student-gambling-issue-30267716.html

-- The Nation 2015-08-29

[thesetat2013]

How about just having stricter enforcement instead of all that other B.S? If they actually enforced their rules about no gambling and started kicking kids out for doing it then it would stop. The problem here is only happening because the schools don't want to give punishments to the kids for fear of losing the money they get each semester for their enrollment. Any school would have punishments tiered to give a chance for reforming a student.

[MAJIC]

How about just having stricter enforcement instead of all that other B.S? If they actually enforced their rules about no gambling and started kicking kids out for doing it then it would stop. The problem here is only happening because the schools don't want to give punishments to the kids for fear of losing the money they get each semester for their enrollment. Any school would have punishments tiered to give a chance for reforming a student.

It's the banned from gambling that makes it all the more desirable, can't do it so must do,pathetic.they will not understand until it ruins their life! with horrendous debts!

[PatOngo]

You can bet 25:1 on that does'nt work.

[Praematura]

Vice did a show on meth addiction here in Thailand. Check it out on YouTube it's called something like vomit thailand meth as it deals with the current problem and how drug rehab programs work here. Point is if 1 in 7 Thais take yaba then maybe tackling this issue should be the priority rather than 20 baht hi-lo games.

[h90]

How about just having stricter enforcement instead of all that other B.S? If they actually enforced their rules about no gambling and started kicking kids out for doing it then it would stop. The problem here is only happening because the schools don't want to give punishments to the kids for fear of losing the money they get each semester for their enrollment. Any school would have punishments tiered to give a chance for reforming a student.

Kicking out smart kids for gambling and let stupid students continue?

Yes that would be a Thai approach.

How about increasing the education levels, kicking out the 50 % weakest and the other 50 % won't have time for nonsense anymore.

[madmitch]

Await the new law: no lottery sales within 300 metres of an educational institution.

[little mary sunshine]

To many online opportunities to gamble, along

With to much gambling learned at home. This

Will be a difficult if not impossible challenge

[LarryBird]

A truly pointless article. It never defines what a gambling problem is, and how many people would fall into that category. It doesn't say how many people are actually ruining their lives gambling, as opposed to the people who get entertainment value from it. Seems to me, gambling is extremely tied in with Thai society.

[Ulic]

Asians are the biggest gamblers in the world (Chinese, predominantly) and keep the worlds

casinos in the black. It will be an uphill battle that will go on in perpetuity.

[tuanku]

The focus on students is misleading. This group is no different from the rest of the Thai population, many of whom from all sections of society gamble, get into debt or are involved in prostitution either as customers or as providers. These things are part of the current culture.

[dragonballs]

let's blame all the gambling, smoking, drinking, fighting, killing, raping

to ... peer pressure ...

good one

that says enough about thainess

lack of education