Students found 'addicted' to football gambling
The Nation 2011-08-18
Many Thai students are addicted to laying bets on football games, with some female students paying their debts by providing sexual favours, research findings revealed yesterday. It was also found that newspaper columnists conjecturing on the winning scores influenced the gambling habit among youngsters.
The questionnaires were completed by a sampling group of 18 students aged between 15 and 25 over June and July. It was found that most of these students had been placing bets on football matches for eight years.
Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University lecturer Thanakhom Photchanaphithak, who disclosed the findings, said many of the students had placed bets to make money to buy alcohol or luxurious goods. They admitted that staying up late to watch football matches ruined their health and some of the female respondents confessed to having sex in order to pay off their debts.
"It is the speculation by newspaper columnists that influences students' gambling habits," said Wiroj Srihirun, a lecturer with Siam University.
Meanwhile, the National Press Council of Thailand said it was difficult to control the media though the council had the right to admonish any member of the press suspected of promoting gambling. Meanwhile, an activist said the Gambling Act 1935 did not include football gambling and should be amended.
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