Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has instructed police to seriously crack down on football gambling and debt-collecting violence ahead, during and after the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will begin in Russia on June 14.
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Deputy PrimeMinister General Prawit Wongsuwan has instructed police to seriously crack downon football gambling and debt-collecting violence ahead, during and after the2018 FIFA World Cup, which will begin in Russia on June 14.
According to deputy national police chief Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakan,the police have launched a big campaign to ensure social order during thetournament.
He said about 1,000 websites linked to football betting will be shut down andaround 1,000 “Net Idol” celebrities in Thai social media, who are based acrossthe country and allegedly appear in football-gambling advertisements, will beinvestigated.
If found guilty, they would be charged under Article 12 of the Gambling Act,which says that anyone arranges for or promotes others to gamble shall bepunished with a one-year jail term and/or a 1,000 baht (31.17 USD) fine, headded.
Chalermkiat said police would also try to prevent loan sharks from usingunlawful tactics against borrowers who lose money gambling on World Cupmatches.
Though illegal, football gambling is big business in Thailand.
A survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce forecast 59 billionbaht (1.84 billion USD) in World Cup betting in Thailand this year.
Law enforcement agencies in Thailand are gearing up to fight illegal gamblingoperators ahead of the World Cup. In Bangkok, police said they have arrested763 people in 681 cases of illegal soccer gambling since May 1.
During the 2014 tournament, policearrested more than 5,000 people in connection with football gambling rings.-VNA
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