Known as salak kin baeng in the local language, thai lotto is the national lottery and one of two forms of legal gambling in Thailand. It is drawn twice a month, on the first and sixteenth days, and is played by more than 19 million people or 28.6% of the country’s population.
It is a state-run entity and is governed by a strict legislative framework that dictates how prizes are paid out, how much of the money raised will go to support national causes and how tickets must be sold. In addition, GLO is responsible for establishing a set of standards that must be adhered to by ticket sellers. Those who wish to sell the tickets must register with GLO and receive approval before doing so.
GLO also sets a maximum price per ticket to ensure that the lottery remains accessible to all citizens, regardless of income level. In the past, GLO printed tickets and sold them to national wholesalers or brokers, who then distributed them to a network of more than 14,700 authorized retail venues. Retail venues would then add a percentage to the ticket prices in order to generate their own revenue, which resulted in the tickets being sold at inflated prices.
To prevent counterfeiting, the tickets are printed on special yellow, thin, and smooth paper that is coated with chemicals. They also feature a watermark of a mythical bird called a Wayupak that can be seen under UV light. The paper is also coated with a substance that will show stains if drops of bleach are applied to it. The paper is also impregnated with ink that can be detected by X-rays and a barcode that is used to validate the tickets.
The winner must present his or her winning tickets and a valid ID card (or passport for foreign bettors) to claim the prize. The winning amount is then deposited into the winners’ bank account. The procedure is quick and easy if the winner wins the first prize or jackpot, which is usually several million baht. However, if the winner is a minor or has already won the second prize or below, it will take at least 15 days before the winnings are credited to the account.
If the winnings are less than 20,000 baht, the winner can collect it on the same day. To do so, he or she must submit a ticket, an identification document and bank account details. If the winnings are more than 20,000 baht, winners must visit GLO headquarters to collect them in person. This will require them to fill out a form, write the necessary information at the back of the winning ticket and take a queue number. They will then be asked to present the winning ticket together with a Thai ID card or passport (for foreign bettors). If they win more than 200,000 baht, the winner must wait for a few weeks before claiming the prize.
