An end to gambling? Don't bet on it

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung is demanding that police clear Bangkok of all gambling dens within three days. Our editor-in-chief is betting that won't happen.

Some years back, a police raid on a gambling den in Bangkok’s Ekamai Soi 30 netted more than 300 gamblers, including a number of tourists from China.

This is a long excerpt from today's column by our Editor-in-Chief, Pichai Chuensuksawadi. In it, he explains why illegal gambling is unlikely to go away at the present time. He also has a controversial suggestion about what to do about it. Do you agree?

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Don't bet on eradicating illegal gambling

Rak Thailand Party leader Chuvit Kamolvisit played a video clip of a casino operating in the Sutthisan area (Ratchadaphisek Soi 18).

At first the Metropolitan Police Bureau denied the casino existed. But they were dealing with the wrong man and Khun Chuvit quickly followed up by playing another video clip over the weekend showing furniture and equipment being moved. Police, caught with their pants down, had to admit its existence.

Sutthisan police chief and five senior officers were – yes, you've guessed it – transferred to proverbial inactive posts.

Now Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung has joined the fray, saying police have been given three days to clear Bangkok of all gambling dens, or other agencies will be asked to do the job instead.

Khun Chalerm said he would also propose a major revamp of the police if it failed to shut down the casinos. "I would consider putting the right men in the right jobs. But if doing that is not within the scope of my authority, I would ask the prime minister to make a decision," he said.

On paper, this looks like a good combination. On the one hand we have Khun Chuvit, former owner of a string of massage parlours who knows how to bribe police. On the other we have Khun Chalerm, a former police officer who certainly knows the ins and outs of our law enforcement agency.

What we are likely to see in this current drama is perhaps another casino being closed or raided. But we all know that in the end, the bribery, corruption and protective political influence that go along with these gambling dens will continue. No one really knows how many gambling dens there are in this city. But the really big ones, backed with considerable political clout, are well known.

The most well-known and established ones operate in Taopoon and Pratuman districts. There's one along Rama 3 Road in the Chong Lom area. Another is located in the Pinklao area. These establishments remain open despite the current controversy. Others, like one in Lat Phrao, open and close depending on how the wind blows. And so the list continues.

These really big casinos operate because they have big-time political and police protection. The smaller ones operate along the same lines but with lesser clout. Any crackdown now and in the future will not shut down or wipe out these dens. Once the dust settles, they will be back and it will be business as usual.

Let's leave the song and dance aside and accept reality. Like it or not, Thai people – and many citizens of other countries around the world – like to gamble. If they cannot gamble legally at home, they will go abroad. And I don't mean Las Vegas. Just across from our Aranyaprathet province, there are nine casinos in Cambodia. One is owned by Cambodians, the rest are owned by Thais. In Burma's portion of the Golden Triangle area there are four casinos, while opposite Chanthaburi province, there are three. These are the places where Thais are going.

As long as gambling remains illegal, corruption, political influence and bribery of the police will continue. We must accept the fact that our police personnel are underpaid. Graft and extortion is used to finance some basic police operations as well as supplement incomes. Providing protection and owning shares in gambling dens is one major source of income.

Many of our neighbours, such as Singapore and Malaysia, have accepted reality and allowed casinos to be established. Like Macau, these governments have chosen to legalise and regulate – and earn income.

I admit that legalised casinos would not wipe out illegal gambling activities. Despite the legal lottery which millions of Thais buy every fortnight, illegal lottery bookmakers continue to conduct lucrative operations. They are able to do so because they provide better odds and higher returns.

There is no doubt that social problems persist as a result of gambling. We see it every day when Thais are embroiled in betting on football matches, on cock-fights, on boxing matches week in and week out. Crackdown after crackdown has not reduced the level of gambling. Other countries have legalised and regulated betting, and it is worthy of serious study.

Likewise, legalising casinos will not eradicate social problems. But making them legal means they can be regulated and should reduce the opportunity for corruption, bribery of police and shady use of political clout. The government will also have access to revenues it currently does not have.

Clearly, there are those who will vehemently disagree with my views, and the pros and cons of legalising casinos should be debated. But I believe that we must accept reality. Even those who oppose legalising casinos will have to admit that the current song and dance (or shadow play) we are witnessing will come to nought and, after a while, the cards will continue to flip-fall and the chips thrown across the blackjack or baccarat tables as usual.

You can read the full column here: http://bit.ly/r1acmX

raid – using force to enter a place suddenly in order to arrest people or search for something such as illegal weapons or drugs การเข้าตรวจค้น
gambling – the activity of betting money, for example in a game or on a horse race การพนัน
den – a place where people meet in secret, especially for some illegal or immoral activity บ่อน
net – to catch someone, usually a criminal จับกุม
excerpt – a part of a longer story, speech, song, text, etc. บทคัดย่อ
illegal – against the law ผิดกฎหมาย, นอกกฎหมาย
controversial – causing disagreement ที่เป็นที่ขัดแย้ง
suggestion – an idea or a plan that you mention for somebody else to think about  ข้อเสนอ, ข้อเสนอแนะ
bet – to risk money on a race or an event by trying to predict the result  พนัน
eradicate – to get rid of completely or destroy something bad กำจัดจนหมดสิ้น
operate – to carry out a planned activity involving a lot of people to work in a particular way or from a particular place ปฏิบัติ, ปฏิบัติงาน
metropolitan police – the police in responsible for a city ตำรวจนครบาล
deny – to say that something is not true or does not exist ปฏิเสธ
exist – to be real; to be present in a place or situation  มีอยู่
deal with – to take appropriate action in a particular situation or according to who you are talking to, managing, etc. รับมือ
catch with their pants down – to embarrass someone by proving they have done something wrong; to arrive or do something when somebody is not expecting it and not ready, especially when they are in an embarrassing situation
admit – to agree that something is true, especially when you are unhappy, sorry or surprised about it  ยอมรับ
senior – with a high rank or position อาวุโส
transfer – to change someone’s job or responsibilities โยกย้าย
proverbial – used to show that you are referring to a particular proverb or well-known phrase เกี่ยวกับสุภาษิต,เป็นคำพังเพย
inactive post – a job or position with no real responsibilities or duties
fray – a fight, a competition or an argument, especially one that is exciting or seen as a test of your ability การต่อสู้, การทะเลาะวิวาท,การชกต่อย
propose – to suggest an idea for a group to consider เสนอ
revamp – to make a major change or revision to something ปรับปรุงใหม่
scope – the things that a particular activity, organisation, subject, etc deals with ขอบเขต
authority – the power to make decisions or tell people what to do อำนาจ, อำนาจในการสั่งการ
on paper – in theory;  judged from written information only, but not proved in practice or use ในภาคทฤษฎี
combination – the mixture you get when two or more things are combined การรวมกัน
string – a series of similar or connected events that happen one after the other การเรียงต่อเนื่องของเหตุการณ์หรือสิ่งต่างๆ
bribe – to give money or presents to someone so that they will help you by doing something dishonest or illegal ติดสินบน
ins and outs – all the details, especially the complicated or difficult ones  รายละเอียดหรือข้อมูลที่จำเป็น
law enforcement – the process of making sure that people obey the law การบังคับใช้กฎหมาย
current – of the present time ปัจจุบัน
drama – something exciting or unusual that happens พฤติกรรมเกินจริง
protective – providing or intended to provide protection ซึ่งปกป้อง
influence – the power to have an effect on people or things อิทธิพล
back – to support ให้การสนับสนุน
considerable – large in size, amount, or degree ค่อนข้างมาก
clout – the power to influence events กลุ่มอิทธิพล
established - be in a successful position over a long period of time  มีตำแหน่งที่มั่นคง
located – where something is ตั้งอยู่
establishment – an organisation, an institution or a hotel สถานประกอบการ
how the wind blows – according to the situation แล้วแต่สถานการณ์ แล้วแต่กรณี
crackdown – strong action that someone in authority takes to stop a particular activity การใช้กำลังเข้าปราบปรามของเจ้าหน้าที่
wipe out – to get rid of something completely กำจัดให้หมดไป
when the dust settles – when a situation becomes clear or certain; when a situation calms down สงบลง
song and dance – complaining or talking about something a lot
reality – what is actually happening ความเป็นจริง
citizen – someone who has the right to live permanently in a particular country พลเมือง
portion – a part of something ส่วน
underpaid – not paid enough for the work you do ไม่ได้รับเงินเพียงพอสำหรับงานที่ทำ
graft – corruption การฉ้อโกง
extortion – the crime of trying to obtain something by force or threat การขู่กรรโชก  รีดไถ
supplement – to add something extra ช่วยเสริม
income – money that someone gets from working or from investing money รายได้
share – any of the units of equal value into which a company is divided and sold to raise money. People who own shares receive part of the company's profits หุ้น
major – very large or important สำคัญมาก
source – the place something comes from or starts แหล่ง
legalise – to make something be according to the law ทำให้มีอำนาจตามกฎหมาย ทำให้ถูกต้องตามกฎหมาย
regulate – to control an activity officially by using rules ควบคุม
fortnight – a period of two weeks ในสองสัปดาห์
bookmaker – a person whose job is to take bets and pay out money to people who win ,เจ้ามือรับแทง(ม้า)
conduct – to do something in an organised way; to carry out — ลงมือทำ, ดำเนิน, ปฏิบัติ
lucrative – earning a lot of money ที่มีกำไรงาม
odds – the connection between two numbers that shows how much money somebody will receive if they win a bet ความเป็นต่อในการพนัน
return – the amount of profit that you get from something; the amount of money you earn เงินรายได้
persist – to continue ยืดเยื้อต่อไป
embroiled – involved in a difficult situation พัวพันอยู่ใน
likewise – in a similar way; in the same way ในทำนองเดียวกัน, เช่นเดียวกัน, อย่างเดียวกัน
shady – seeming to be dishonest or illegal น่าสงสัย, ไม่น่าเชื่อ, เคลือบแคลง
access – having the opportunity to have or use something มีโอกาสในการใช้
revenue – income from taxes or business activities รายได้
vehemently – showing very strong feelings, especially anger อย่างรุนแรง, อย่างรุ่มร้อน
pros and cons - advantages and disadvantages ข้อดีและข้อเสีย
debate – to discuss something, especially formally, before making a decision or finding a solution  อภิปราย, ถกเถียง, โต้เถียง
witness – to see something happen – มองเห็น, เป็นพยาน
come to nought – to be unsuccessful ไม่ประสบความสำเร็จ, ล้มเหลว, ฝันสลาย
blackjack – a card game in which players try to collect cards with a total value of 21 and no more แบล็กแจ็, เกมไพ่ชนิดหนึ่ง
baccarat – a card game in which players hold two or three cards each and bet on whose cards will have the highest number left highest number left การเล่นไพ่แบ็กคาระ