Illegal businesses immune to the law

There are three illegal activities in Thailand that are beyond the law: casinos, numbers games and prostitution. Thailand, especially Bangkok, is like Chicago during Al Capone's time. Chicagoans even joke that when Capone's business was slow, he laid off Chicago cops.

Here, owners of illegal casinos are either very powerful people or know someone very powerful, otherwise they wouldn't flourish. The same is true for numbers-game operators and prostitution in so-called entertainment complexes. We may see on TV police busting a shoddy karaoke bar for prostitution, but never a fancy massage parlour on Ratchadaphisek. We may see police raiding a gambling joint in remote area, but never a big one in Bangkok.

No government dares to mess with these illegal businesses. Moreover, there must be a tacit agreement among politicians, the ruling party and the opposition alike, not to bring up these illegal activities or to attack each other. Even the Democrats refrain from it.

MP Chuwit Kamolvisit's exposing of illegal casinos is a cheap shot at his peers. This is to put him in the spotlight for his political gain. What he has done is hit a wasps nest in an area full of people, then ran for cover.

Meechai Burapa

Chiang Mai