Now that’s entertainment. Nine mounted elephants, painted with the flags of nations competing in the 2018 World Cup, played a 15-minute game of soccer against Thai students in an arena in the capital of Ayutthaya.
The pachyderms were the perfect anti-gambling ambassadors, said Reangthongbaht Meephan, deputy chief of the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal. “They’re here to bring color and joy and create awareness that we can enjoy the World Cup without gambling and just cheer for the soccer players.”
Reuters reported that illegal gambling on the World Cup is rife in countries like Thailand and Malaysia, where football is a national obsession but betting is illegal. Betting or promoting gambling on football is a crime in Thailand, but a pretty bloodless one—offenders typically face a small fine of 1,000 baht (US$31.17). If children are involved, their parents can face a 10,000 baht ($311.72) fine or three months in jail.
And a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce predicted that its people will bet 59 billion baht (US$1.84 billion) on the World Cup this year.
“Betting on soccer is so easy in Thailand,” a gambler told the news agency. “You can even go into a market and ask around, and within 10 minutes someone will come to take your bet.”
