The thai lotto is one of only two forms of legal gambling in Thailand and is played by nearly 19 million of the country’s people. The lottery is drawn on the first and 16th of each month and a top prize of up to 32 million baht can be won. The lottery is popular among the locals as well as foreigners who are interested in trying their luck at winning a huge cash prize.
The Government Lottery Office (Thai:
Tickets are sold in pairs and each has a six-digit number that is unique to that particular ticket. To discourage counterfeiting, a special yellow, thin paper is used that features a watermark of Wayupak, a mythical bird, and a chemical that will cause the paper to stain when exposed to bleach. The paper is also printed with two types of silk thread, one that can be seen with the naked eye and the other that is visible only under an ultraviolet light.
Each ticket is also affixed with a stamp that shows the number of digits and the winning numbers, as well as the name of the lottery agency. The stamp is required to be present when collecting the prize money, so it’s important that you don’t lose your ticket. Those who win the top prize must pay 0.5% stamp duty on government lottery prizes and 1% for charitable lottery prizes.
Lottery winners must present the winning tickets, a valid ID card or passport and a queue number to claim their prize money. The government lottery is open to all nationals and foreigners up to 20 years of age. Foreigners who win the jackpot must pay a withholding tax of 15% of their winnings.
The lottery is a fun and exciting way to pass the time in Thailand, but be careful not to get ripped off by street vendors selling fake tickets. There are many ways to tell if a ticket is real or not, and you should always check the winning numbers before you buy. If you are not sure about a particular number, ask the dealer to show you its past results. You can also look at the previous winners’ ticket to determine if it is real or not. In addition, you should avoid buying a lottery ticket from anyone who does not have a valid license. The government has strict rules about the sale of lottery tickets, and a license is necessary for those who wish to sell them. The Government Lottery Office (GLO) has a database of licensed dealers and can verify their credentials. It is illegal to sell tickets without a license in Thailand.
