Thai lotto is a form of gambling in Thailand managed by its government and popular among residents for both making money and as an integral part of Thai culture. While Westerners may expect different things about their lotterie, such as it being just another game; historically speaking it has also been used as a political tool.
Thai lotto tickets are printed on special paper featuring the image of a mythical bird known as Wayupak as its watermark, making verification easy: just drop into bleach or expose to ultraviolet light to show any blots or stains, helping prevent counterfeiting of tickets. While popular among Thai citizens, however, its history of use by military dictators to line their pockets has caused controversy – in 1973 activists burned down GLO building as protest against military rulers’ use of lottery profits as personal income; more recently the lottery has also been perceived by farmers as symbolically signifying corruption by demanding government sharing of revenues with them instead.
The Government Lottery in Thailand is a multibillion-baht business and serves as an important source of income. Each year it generates four billion baht for charities while employing thousands of workers who may otherwise remain unemployed. Furthermore, lottery tickets provide an enjoyable pastime and socialization tool.
Illicit lottery gaming also exists within the country – this vast underground network uses similar numbers and operates parallel lotteries using them with various additional rules added for fun. Unfortunately, its reach makes it virtually impossible to control.
Even though lottery odds are long odds, many Thais still view lottery playing as an intelligent investment strategy. Some even purchase physical newsagencies to print off lottery tickets on their own! One Australian man has even made gambling his life’s work, opening an office here in Bangkok!
Though foreigners may find it hard to comprehend why so many Thais are preoccupied with lottery, it is easy to see why it forms such an integral part of Thai culture. With grand dreams and strong faith in luck as motivations for entering, it comes as no surprise that on every first and sixteenth of every month hopefuls hordes gather around their TV sets in anticipation of viewing results of each lottery draw.
