Millions of Thais are eagerly looking toward the World Cup, not only because the country is hooked on football  but because it is among the biggest venues for betting in a while.

Already, punters are willing to spend over hundreds of billions of baht, hoping to make quick money when the World Cup starts in South Korea and Japan in late May.

"I made more than 100,000 baht (US$2,310) from gambling on only a week-long of Euro football matches in 2000," recalls 22 year-old employee who asked that only her nickname, 'Beau', be used.

"A friend invited me to join football gambling saying it was more exciting to watch the games with betting so I did  and found what he said was true,'' she adds.

That is not what education officials and many parents want to hear.

Already, the Education Ministry plans to set up a surveillance net made up of parents and teachers to prevent World Cup gambling among young fans, who can place bets of 100 baht (US$2.3) and up.

Elders will be asked to keep an eye on students' cash spending, use of credit cards, the Internet and telephones, among others.

There are plans to distribute booklets showing youngsters how to enjoy World Cup as pure football fun  without gambling, and police officials are thinking of delaying the broadast of World Cup matches in Thailand by at least half an hour to discourage gambling.

"Many young people are bound to believe the illusion that gambling is a quick way to solve all their problems," Surat Petchnil of Schools of Liberal Arts at King Mongkut of University in Thonburi province says in an interview. "Guidance from teachers and parents is needed."

Surat recently made a presentation on football gambling in his classes, his effort to raise awareness among students about the bad effects of gambling.

Bookies everywhere

But "football gambling is everywhere,'' says 23-year-old new graduate Pitak, who withheld his full name.

He adds: ''As far as I know, there are more than 30 small bookies only in my university.'' There are lots more in other schools and colleges, he says, that make a business out of receiving bets in foreign-league football games.

''I used to spend up to 50,000 baht (US$1,155) a night," recalls Beau. "But this is nothing compared with other gamblers who are used to giving away 100,000 baht (US$2,310) for one match."

Indeed, the betting fever is such that even the police proposal to move back the live telecast of the World Cup matches is pointless, bookies and gamblers say: 99 percent of gamblers place their bets hours in advance.

"Even without a live broadcast, there are still radio and Internet to keep us up to date," points out Pitak. "With more than 50 matches scheduled in a week, we could not watch all of them. Delaying the broadcast would make no difference to the betting pattern and would do nothing to stop it."

In their blood

There are no figures for gambling addicts in Thailand. But to give an idea of how big the money involved can be, a study shows that Thai gamblers spend over 400 billion baht (US$92 million) a year in casinos in Burma and Cambodia.

As many as 50 million people, out of the country's population of 62 million, buy lottery tickets regularly.

"Some say that Thais have gambling skills in their blood," quips Surat. "They bet on anything, from sports to politics and from cockfights to pea counting. When they cannot find solution on an argument, they bet for a dinner treat."

Last year, figures from the Royal Thai Police show that 83,449 cases were filed on betting while 250,166 people were arrested.

But gambling is also among the prohibitions in Buddhism, which more than 90 percent of Thais follow. Many types of gambling, such as casino operation, remain illegal in the country, which is why huge casinos are built across the Thai border to meet the demand by Thai players.

The signs of gambling as a social risk are also evident. Studies from the Department of Public Mental Health show that most of increasing cases of suicide among Thai young men are believed to be gambling-related.

"It is simple for people to keep on gambling," says Surat. "The ones who lose want to get something back, while those who win are confident on betting more. There is only a thin line between enjoyment and immorality."

"I first gambled on football matches three years ago as only fun among friends," recalls Pitak. "But once losing and gaining huge amounts of money, it was no longer enjoyment for me."

He says, "I fixed my mind on the matches, watching them until 3 to 4 in the morning and waking up the next afternoon only to check match schedules with prices (of the bets) and to transfer money for my next bets.

''There are matches to follow almost every day. I soon lost all concentration on my studies,'' he recalls.

Legalising gambling

Tabloid football magazines are the needed tools for gamblers. Providing analyses on matches and suggestions on who and how much should be put on bets, these publications cost only 10 to 20 baht (25 or 50 cents) and are available in every bookstall.

Pitak soon became a small bookie, making up to 10,000 baht (about US$2,000) daily. "I never once got into trouble with police," he says, adding that evidence is hard to get because ''everything is arranged over the phone''.

Beau says most gamblers do pay their bookies, not because they are afraid someone will go after them  but to assure that they can join the next bets.

Pitak and Beau say they are no longer in gambling, though they say they would not have moved on to bigger forms of gambling. "I could never win anyway. If I win today, I'll lose again tomorrow. I don't want to lose all my money on this," points out Beau.

Meantime, officials continue to try to find ways to meet the 'demand' for gambling while keeping it under control.

The government has said it plans to legalise casinos, saying it will raise state revenues and promote tourism. The Government Lottery Office plans to introduce lotto, a new online lottery game, to Thailand.

Counters Surat: "It is almost impossible to stop gambling, but legalising it is also not the right way to take care of the problem. How can a nation survive with its citizens addicted to vice, whether legal or illegal?"