A large percentage of Thailand’s national income is generated by the lottery. The prize money accounts for 60% of the total revenue, while 20% of it is funneled to the treasury and the rest to street vendors (12%), ticket wholesalers (2%), foundation, association, and organization discount (0%) and social activity fund (3%). The rest of the lottery revenue is used to support public welfare projects.
Lottery is a popular pastime in Thailand. Some people play it for the money, while others do it because they believe that lucky numbers have a special power to change their lives. The government has made a number of steps to ensure that the games are fair and transparent, but there is still some superstition around the numbers.
There are two kinds of thai lotto tickets: the Thai government lottery (TGL) and the Thai charity lottery (TCL). The names are printed at the upper left corner of each ticket. The two tickets differ only in their first prize payouts and the amount of tax to be paid on winnings.
The TGL and the TCL tickets are sold by local GLO offices and through a network of licensed retail venues. The GLO website has detailed information about the ticket sales process and the mandated procedures for claiming prizes. In addition, the site lists phone numbers for those who have questions.
Buying a ticket is easy and cheap. The government sells tickets at convenience stores, supermarkets and other retail outlets. Ticket prices range from 10 baht to 200 baht. To avoid scams, buy tickets only from reputable dealers.
Each lottery ticket has a six-digit number that is printed in bright yellow. To discourage counterfeiting, the paper has a watermark of Wayupak, a mythical bird from Thailand. In addition, the ticket is printed with chemicals that will stain if it gets wet.
To claim a prize, winners must present the ticket and a valid ID card or passport for foreigners. They must also pay a 0.5% stamp duty on winnings from the government lottery and 1% on winnings from charitable lotteries. In case of a win, winners can choose to receive their prize money in cash or as a cheque.
Lottery results are published in major newspapers and on the GLO website. Winners can also check their prizes by calling the GLO prize payment hotline at 02-528-96-21. The prize payments department will provide them with information about the required documents to bring to the office.
Despite the fact that Thailand has strict rules on gambling, many people gamble illegally in “huay tai in” (“underground lottery houses”). In the mid-2000s, Thais spent about $10 billion on illegal gambling, compared to 36 billion for the official lottery. The majority of these bets are placed on European soccer matches, especially English Premier League games. One Bangkok bookie told Reuters that his weekly turnover can reach up to $12 million.
