Lottery is one of the few forms of gambling that the Thais allow. It is a popular pastime and is widely believed to help the poor by providing them with a small prize. It is also a popular way for people to meet and socialize. It is not uncommon to see a street vendor carting around a brown wooden box full of lottery tickets strapped to their bicycle.
Unlike western lotteries where players choose their own numbers, the thai lottery is pre-printed with six-digit numbers on yellow, thin paper. To deter counterfeiters, each ticket has a unique watermark of a mythical bird called Wayupak. The paper is also coated with chemicals that make it impossible for drops of bleach to stain it.
The thai lottery was introduced in the country in 1874 on the occasion of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)’s birthday. Currently, the government lottery contributes more than $2 billion to the economy every year. In addition, a portion of the proceeds is funnelled into social activities.
In addition to the governmental lottery, there are other private lotteries in Thailand, which offer higher prizes and better odds of winning. But the governmental lottery remains the most popular and is widely considered to be fair. It is no wonder that the military junta that ruled Thailand since 2014 has made lottery reform one of its top priorities.
Those who win the lottery must claim their prize within two years of the drawing date. Winnings of up to 20,000 baht can be claimed at any authorized retail venue. Larger prizes must be collected at the head GLO office in Nonthaburi. Players must present their lottery ticket/s, a copy of their ID card or passport, and a queue number to collect the prize.
Some sellers will put aside some tickets that they believe have a good chance of being lucky. They will then increase the price by a small percentage. While this is illegal, it is a necessary business strategy for many sellers, who are usually poor or deaf or blind, as it is an easy and lucrative career.
The government has taken great steps to ensure that the lottery is fair, but there are still a number of issues that must be addressed. The biggest challenge is the amount of money that is spent on huay tai, or underground lotteries. These private lotteries are estimated to generate $10 billion in annual revenue, compared to the official government lottery’s $36 billion. They are incredibly difficult to crack down on, but the military junta has set it as a priority for reform. There are currently no online lottery sites in Thailand, but the junta has expressed interest in moving the lottery to the internet. This would open up the market to foreign players. It would be the first time that a major Asian country has moved its lottery online. However, many experts are skeptical that the move will have a significant impact on the overall lottery industry.
