'Intoxicated' Thailand losing billions to lottery

BANGKOK : Thailand's state-run lottery has "intoxicated" the public and caused billions of dollars in lost productivity by people hoping to strike it rich, according to a study.

Academics at a Bangkok seminar released results of a study showing that the kingdom loses about 184 billion baht (4.4 billion dollars) annually due to reduced work performance on days of lottery draws on the first and 16th of each month, the Nation newspaper reported.

"When the public becomes intoxicated with the belief that they can become rich without having to work, they work less," associate professor Warakorn Samkoset of Dhurakijpundit University was quoted as saying.

"What is most worrying is that young people have shifted from football betting to becoming hooked on the lottery because the lottery is legal."

Most forms of gambling are outlawed in Thailand. But in recent years the government brought part of the massive underground lottery system into the legal fold, operating it through the Government Lottery Office.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's administration has claimed that the profits from the lottery go directly into socio-economic programmes including student scholarships.

Warakorn contends the lottery's estimated 70 billion baht annual income pales in comparison to financial losses in terms of public purchasing power.

She also said the premier is authorised to use the lottery money without the scrutiny of parliament, according to the English-language daily.

Senator Montri Sinthawichai said the Government Lottery Office should launch surveys into the effects on young people. "The lottery is a kind of gambling, which causes more social problems than corruption," the senator said.

Gambling-mad Thais bet huge sums on underground lotteries, at casinos across the border in Cambodia, on cock-fighting matches and on football games.

Last month researchers revealed that half a million Thai students were betting regularly on football matches with spiralling debts triggering murders, extortion rackets and prostitution.

--AFP 2004-09-05

in theory, the money is still in thailand, and buying lottery tickets is helping to recycle the money which stimulates the economy. but as the article states, thaksin "claims" that the money is being spent on social programs. it is more likely being sent out of the country when new cars for gov't officials (BMWs and Mercedes) are bought or they take foreign trips, etc.

...or his new personal jet, bought for 1.1 Billion Baht

Better than wasting it on a fuc.king Millenium Dome, like stupid b'stard Peter Mandelson and his pathetic friends. Still fuc.king after nearly 5 years...

BANGKOK : Thailand's state-run lottery has "intoxicated" the public and caused billions of dollars in lost productivity by people hoping to strike it rich, according to a study.

Seems like wherever you go in the world, the same doom and gloom scenarios are painted regarding the various government-run lotteries. I recall that prior to California starting its lottery in the late 1980's, the pundits decried that a state lottery would encourage the poor to spend all of their time at the liquor stores, spending their welfare checks on scratcher (instant lottery) tickets. Needless to say, the California lottery was launched and the end of the world did not occur shortly thereafter.

I've not got into the spirit of the Thai Lottery but it intrigues me how Thai’s pick the numbers.. I can remember a few years ago that the winning ticket was all ones or something like that.