The Thai Lottery (Thai: salak kin baeng) is Thailand’s official national lottery and one of two legal forms of gambling allowed within its borders. Held twice monthly on the first and sixteenth, this event is organized and managed by the Government Lottery Office.
The lottery in Thailand is an integral component of its economy, generating billions in ticket sales revenue and prize payouts annually. In 2014 alone, it brought in 76 billion baht worth of revenue for state coffers; top prizes totalled 2 million baht! Interestingly enough, both locals and foreigners take part in playing the Thai Lotto each year; an estimated 19 million people nationwide participate annually!
Recently, the lottery industry has been plagued with various corruption scandals and investigations, prompting authorities to initiate a crackdown and implement a new lottery act in 2015. This act seeks to improve transparency while eliminating fraud and reducing ticket prices.
A large proportion of ticket sales revenue goes toward funding public works projects across Thailand. A portion is also allocated towards education, health and welfare initiatives while any surplus money supplementing government revenues. Lotteries remain an extremely popular form of gambling in Thailand and an easy way for Thais to win money.
In order to play Thai lotto, tickets must be purchased from an official retailer – usually shopping centers but also available online lottery agents such as those offering reduced ticket prices and higher prizes. These stores may be found within shopping malls or even internet-based lottery agents that sell tickets internationally at lower ticket prices and higher prizes.
When purchasing a Thai Lotto ticket, always look for the seal of the Government Lottery Office on its front. This will provide an assurance that your ticket is genuine. When selecting your numbers it is also wise to keep this in mind – generally selecting ones not previously chosen would be best.
If you’ve won tickets, head straight to the Government Lottery Office to collect them. Simply present your winning ticket(s), along with an ID or passport (for foreigners), as proof. After signing an acknowledgment of winning form and paying 0.5% stamp duty for government lottery winnings (1% for charitable lottery wins).
One lesser-known superstition in Thailand holds that tragedy brings good luck, which explains why so many Thais can be seen gazing upon crashed cars or highway accident sites in order to find their lucky number. While this might appear morbid, this practice is all in good fun: those who find their lucky number can visit Mae Nak, an invisible ghost considered the patron saint of lottery players who has an altar dedicated to her and features her small clay jar of numbered ping pong balls said to provide cosmic guidance.