The thai lottery is the official national lottery of Thailand, administered by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). This is one of only two forms of legal gambling allowed in the country. The other is horse racing. The GLO prints and sells lottery tickets to national wholesalers, who then distribute them to local registered vendors. The distributors then sell them to the public. In 2015, the GLO began to directly issue lottery tickets at its offices. This reduced the cost and made it more convenient for people to play.
In addition, GLO also makes the ticket more secure by adding a watermark and other security measures. The paper used for the tickets is thin and yellow, with a watermark of a mythical bird known as Wayupak, along with a series of holograms and special silk threads that can only be seen under ultraviolet light. A drop of bleach shows up as a stain on the paper, so it can be tested for authenticity.
Another way that the thai lottery is more secure than most other lotteries is that players do not choose their own numbers. The pre-printed numbers are chosen by the GLO, and winning numbers must match exactly for a prize to be awarded. This prevents vendors from selling tickets with “lucky” numbers for outrageously high prices. Many Thais still believe in the power of numbers, however, and use omens such as the number of spots on a cat’s fur (linked to the number five), snakes (representing the number six), rats (associated with the number one) and more as signs to buy a particular lottery ticket.
Winners must present their winning ticket and a valid ID card or passport (for foreigners) when they claim their prizes. They will then have to pay a 0.5% stamp duty on government lottery winnings and 1% on charitable lottery winnings. The winnings must be collected within two years of the draw date. The prize is usually paid in cash, although the highest amounts are sometimes given as a cheque.
The lottery is a popular pastime in Thailand, and the results are broadcast live on television. The drawings are held on the first and 16th of every month. There are three prize categories: the first, second, and fifth. The first prize is the largest, and the jackpot amount is usually around 20 million baht. The second prize is about 1 million baht, and the third prize is about 100,000 baht.
The GLO is the only entity permitted to sell tickets for the lottery, and it has several distribution points throughout the country. Ticket prices vary, but are generally reasonable. The odds of winning are one in a million, though these odds change each draw. Winners must pay 0.5% on their winnings to the GLO. Those who wish to play for bigger prizes can visit the GLO headquarters in Nonthaburi. A queue number is given to each player, and they must show their tickets and a valid ID when they are called up.
