No bets, please - until law has been altered
Play
Re: "A gamble we must weigh carefully", Editorial, June 18.
The National Reform Council is supposed to consist of learned and principled people. However, when 12 of its members declare that the Prayut government should legalise casinos so that it can collect gambling taxes and deter illegal gambling, one wonders what has gone wrong.
Legalising casinos should be regarded as a no-no so long as the police force remains badly in need of reform.
The police should eliminate graft within their ranks more effectively – by demoting officials who allow illegal gambling to thrive in the areas under their responsibility. Officials who have taken bribes should be thrown in jail, not “moved” to inactive posts or elsewhere. Bad apples should be treated accordingly.
And, before casinos are legalised, laws should be enacted to prevent anyone from entering such places unless they are foreigners or Thais who can verify they have enough money to risk. This way, criminals, con men and the vulnerable can effectively be barred.
The decision to legalise casinos must wait until police and law reforms have been finalised.
Vint Chavala
