Thai Lotto, or National Lotterie in Thailand, takes place every 1st and 16th of every month and is immensely popular – over 19 Million Thais regularly participate and spend an estimated annual total of 76 Billion Baht on tickets! While lottery may appear harmless, its consequences can have tragic outcomes. One man in Chiang Mai took his own life after failing to win the lottery in March 2015. He sold his motorcycle in order to purchase lottery tickets in hopes they would bring him a better life, yet instead lost everything in this tragic incident. Lotteries have long been seen as a source of hope among Thai people; yet with its superstitions and bizarre rituals come some very dangerous outcomes.
At the core of these superstitions are superstitions associated with lottery numbers. According to winners, selecting the correct number is key for their chances of success – dream interpretation, animal behavior observations or seeing numbers appear in fire or water can all be signs that luck is on its way! Other strategies for selecting winning numbers may include praying to banana trees, reading candle drippings in holy water as omens of fortune telling or simply asking children randomly select random numbers; people even go as far as visiting temples praying to tarantula fortunetellers which they believe can predict winning numbers!
Other common superstitions involve scrutinizing license plate numbers of crashed vehicles and highway numbers where accidents have taken place, often as an omen for impending good fortune or fertility boost. Many Thais believe tragedy precedes fortune; therefore many search for lottery numbers with tragic histories while praying for guidance when making hard decisions or asking for fertility.
Buddhists’ belief that their karma can lead to prosperity is at the root of buying lottery tickets, so many turn to monks who specialize in lottery consultation services for advice on buying lottery tickets. While such practices don’t contradict Buddhist doctrine directly, they do establish new channels through which spirits and influences intersect with lottery play.
To ensure tickets are genuine, the Government Lottery Office (GLO) requires lottery vendors to purchase them from GLO-registered outlets only. Tickets purchased this way come pre-printed with anti-counterfeiting features and cost 80 baht each ticket pair; people who win significant amounts must visit an office with their passport and signed lottery ticket to claim their prize money; these offices can be found throughout Thailand including Bangkok; online lottery plays are restricted from participating but results can still be viewed live online here and winners announced twice monthly live television broadcast.