Bangkok – Police have reported making over 6,500 arrests in connection with betting on the World Cup since the start of the tournament on June 14.
Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Pol Gen Chalermkiat Sriworakarn reported that police efforts to suppress betting on the outcome of World Cup 2018 have resulted in multiple arrests. Of the detainments, more than 250 were bookies and over 28 million baht was seized. The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has been called on to follow money trails for further arrests. Both betting venues and online websites were found over the course of the sweep with some operating from abroad.
The Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society, National Broadcast and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and Technology Crime Division have been tasked with dealing with betting websites and have been able to secure court orders for several site closures. No civil servants, influential individuals or youths were found during the sweep but police report discovering minors entering game stores in the northeast and have called for stricter control by store operators. Children under the age of 18 are allowed no more than three hours in game stores, and are not allowed to enter between the hours of 10pm and 4am.
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