Gamblers urged to inform police if they are bullied

Police have found gambling bets worth over Bt500 million placed on the recent Euro 2008.

So far, after arresting 1,098 gamblers and bookmakers, police have located only Bt931,496 in cash.

"Gamblers can now put their bets online," Royal Thai Police deputy spokesman Maj-General Ruangsak Jarit-ek said yesterday.

Euro 2008 ended early on Monday.

Ruangsak said the number of arrests made during Euro 2008 was higher than at any other football competition.

Ruangsak urged indebted gamblers to come forward if they have received threats from bookmakers.

"Football gambling is not a serious offence. Come to the police. It's better than facing a threat to your lives," he added.

Police have received reports that some bookmaking syndicates showed up at a Bangkok school to demand money from a schoolboy.

"They threatened to assault the boy if he failed to pay the debts," Ruangsak said. "If schools see suspicious strangers asking to meet students, alert the police."

Some children have reportedly run up nearly Bt100,000 in gambling debts. Parents and children could also call the Education Ministry's  hotline 1579.

Meanwhile, Law Society of Thailand secretary-general Sa-ngiam Boonjan said police should have been able to track down more masterminds behind gambling operations if their crackdown efforts had been sincere.

"Some policemen may get a share and thus take action against gambling only half-heartedly," Sa-ngiam said.

Child Protection Founda-tion secretary-general Montri Sintawichai said authorities should educate children about the consequences of gambling. "A crackdown on gambling is important but we can't ignore making children and people understand gambling's results, too," he said.