The lottery is one of the two forms of legal gambling in Thailand, and the most popular. The bi-monthly draws are a fixture in the Thai calendar and are played by more than 19 million people; that’s almost 28 percent of the country’s population. While the odds of winning are slim, the experience unites people in a shared dream and fuels optimism and hope.
The state-run lottery system is a well-established enterprise with strict legislative frameworks determining how the prize money is paid out and what percentage of ticket sales will be used to support national causes. It’s a well-regulated and secure system with no risk for buyers, especially since GLO, the state-owned entity that runs the lottery, is a reputable organization.
In the past, tickets could only be purchased from GLO, but starting on June 2, digital lottery tickets are available through a new mobile app that will allow players to purchase them directly through a national wholesaler called Paotang. The new digital system will make the tickets more affordable, making them accessible to people of all income levels.
The official price for a lottery ticket is 80 baht, but many sellers will sell them for 100 baht or even more. The reason for this is that they can keep the difference and often sell them to people who believe in “lucky numbers”. In some cases, people will also buy more than one ticket, which gives them a higher chance of winning.
Regardless of the number of tickets bought, winners will have to pay taxes on their winnings. The amount of the tax depends on what type of prize they have won. Those who win the second-tier prize, for example, will have to pay 50 baht in taxes. Those who win the third-tier prize, on the other hand, will have to pay 100 baht in taxes.
Regardless of the size of their prizes, all winners have two years from the date on which the lottery drawing took place to claim them. Sums lower than 20,000 baht can be cashed out immediately at any authorized retail venue, while larger amounts will have to be claimed from the head office of GLO in Nonthaburi.