Lottery in thailand is one of the only forms of gambling legal in the country. It is played by 19 million Thais; a huge percentage of the nation’s population. The twice-monthly draw takes place on the first and 16th of each month. Prizes range from thousands of baht to millions.
Although gambling is officially illegal and frowned upon by the religion of Buddhism, people still gamble and spend money on lottery tickets. Hundreds of lottery shops can be found all over the country and lottery numbers are printed on everything from bus tickets to military service assignments. The governing military government made lottery reform a top priority when it took office in 2014 and has since put a cap on ticket prices.
Lottery ticket prices are regulated by the Government Lottery Office (GLO). Locals can purchase tickets from a vendor registered with the GLO, and they must be at least 20 years old. Those who wish to become vendors must pass a background check and a criminal record check. Vendors must also pay a fee of 120 baht per year to register. The price of each ticket is 100 baht and the GLO provides discounts for street vendors (12%), wholesalers (2%), social activity funds (3%), and foundation, association, and organization discount (3%).
In addition to checking papers to ensure they have lucky numbers, players can use a number of strategies to increase their chances of winning. Some of these include interpreting dreams, praying to banana trees, observing candle drippings in holy water, and using bamboo sticks. Others have reported that seeing animals in the buildup to a lottery draw is a good omen. Those who win a substantial amount of money have to visit the GLO headquarters in Bangkok to claim their prizes.
Winners must present their winning tickets, a valid ID document, and their bank account details to receive the prize money. They must also shoulder a 0.5% stamp duty on winnings from the government lottery and a 1% stamp duty on winnings from charitable lotteries. Winnings of 20,000 baht or less can be cashed out immediately after the drawing takes place, but large amounts must be claimed at the GLO headquarters in Bangkok.
Unlike Western lotteries, which often sell the same numbers over and over again, thai lotto draws six different sets of numbers each time. This system is designed to discourage counterfeiting. To prevent this, the GLO prints its own tickets on special yellow, thin, and smooth paper with a two-tone watermark of a mythical bird called a wayupak that can be seen under ultra-violet light. It is also coated with chemicals that can be tested by dropping a drop of bleach onto the paper, which will show any stains or blots. This is an important aspect of ensuring that the lottery is fair and unbiased. In addition, the GLO employs a team of inspectors to verify that the tickets are real. This way, a buyer can be confident that he or she is purchasing a genuine ticket.
