thai lotto is one of the most popular gambling games in thailand. In fact, it is the second largest source of state revenue. The thai lotto is monitored by the government and the winnings are distributed to the poor. However, there are also illegal lottery operators who run parallel lotteries that can be 5 times bigger than the official thai lotto. These illegal operations are fueled by the Thais’ lust for money. Gambling is not encouraged by the Buddhist religion yet Thailand is a country filled with gambling dens and gamblers. Bus tickets even have a lottery number on them and it is common for monks to provide lottery numbers. In fact, it is estimated that Thais spend more time gambling than on religion.
The thai lotto is administered by the government and is held on the first and 16th of every month. Its results are broadcast on national television. Those who win can collect their prize at authorized venues. Players are given two years to claim their award. The amounts are paid in cash or a cheque depending on the size of the prize. The smaller prizes are paid out immediately. The larger ones must be claimed at the head GLO office in Nonthaburi.
Each thai lottery ticket features a six-digit number. In order to prevent counterfeiting, the government has introduced special security measures. For example, the tickets are printed on yellow, thin, smooth paper and feature a watermark of Wayupak, the mythical Thai bird. The paper is also coated with chemicals. When a drop of bleach is dropped on the ticket, it will show stains. In contrast, a blank ticket will not show any stains.
To claim the prize, players must present the winning ticket/s along with their ID card or passport (for foreign bettors). The winner will also have to shoulder a 0.5% stamp duty on government lottery winnings and 1% on charitable lottery winnings. The stamped receipts will be collected by vendors who pay this on behalf of their clients. Winnings of 20,000 baht or less are paid in cash. Larger winnings are paid by cheque.
