Prayut eyes plan to reduce price of lottery

[webfact]

Prayut eyes plan to reduce price of lottery
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government is considering plans to lower the price of lottery tickets to Bt80 a pair and introduce vending machines to distribute the tickets.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday after chairing a Cabinet meeting that he hoped the price of government lottery could be reduced; however, related laws would have to be studied before lottery machines could be introduced.

The Cabinet approved an amendment to the Government Lottery Office Act of 1974 prohibiting vendors from selling lottery tickets above the recommended price.

"The overall amendment of the lottery act will be completed within six months. What we want to do is not to promote gambling, but to fix the price of lottery tickets at Bt80 a pair," he said.

The Finance Ministry proposed the draft bill to make the law more modern and concise.

It covers the launch of lottery products, the management of the lottery ticket distribution system and revenue allocated to the government, which will be reduced from 28 per cent to 20 per cent. The prize money will remain at 60 per cent.

It will allow the Government Lottery Office to be more flexible in distributing lottery tickets and limit the influence of vendors.

It also addresses social concerns, such as keeping children and youths out of the lottery trade, banning the sale of lottery tickets to buyers under 20 years of age and barring ticket sales at schools and nearby locations.

The draft amendment bill will now be forwarded to the Council of State for legal review within three months.

As the latest lottery quotas allocated by the Government Lottery Office expire this August or September, the revamp of quota allocations is now underway to cover more stakeholders, such as upcountry vendors and convenience stores, to ensure that the public can buy lottery tickets at a reasonable and fair price.

Meanwhile, a source from Loxley Plc said yesterday the company was ready to audit and install the software system to sell lottery tickets.

In 2005, Loxley subsidiary Loxley GTECH Technology signed a contract with the Government Lottery Office to provide Online Lottery System Services.

"We can make lotteries with two, three or six digits, but need about 90-120 days to improve all the automatic lottery vending machines sold as it has been 10 years since the company signed a contract with the government," said the source.

He added that about 6,000 lottery vending machines could be installed for dealers.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Prayut-eyes-plan-to-reduce-price-of-lottery-30255769.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-11

[chooka]

So this will squeeze out those that sell tickets just to be able to eat. Many are handicapped and no other opportunities. What will become of them? Is this revenge by the ruling elite against the poor because they voted shin?

Edited March 10, 2015 by chooka

[Kesa]

So this will squeeze out those that sell tickets

Do you know how many jobs world-wide have been lost due to automation and technology progression?

[cougar52]

So this will squeeze out those that sell tickets just to be able to eat. Many are handicapped and no other opportunities. What will become of them? Is this revenge by the ruling elite against the poor because they voted shin?

You do have a point, however, when I have to pay 620 Baht to buy 400 Baht worth of tickets (a 5 pack) who needs to inflate the price so high.That is nearly a 50% profit margin after the normal profit after selling at 80 Baht. Last year after all the talk about fixing the price I was buying the tickets for 100 Baht. Then after the military and the Government tried to set the price to 80 Baht, that lasted about a week. now it is higher that before with a normal double ticket (face value 80 Baht) selling now for over 115 Baht and higher for 1 double ticket and the price goes up for multi tickets. Just yesterday the vender outside Tesco wanted 620 Baht for a 5 ticket pack with a face value of 400 Baht. I told her she was crazy.

[BSJ]

The lottery ticket sellers who have been price gouging are the ones who have brought about this change. Greed has killed the jobs of many people who will now be out of work.

[NongKhaiKid]

The usual lead " the PM General Prayut said .... " has been relegated to the second sentence in this report but he still gets major press.

Why did he feel the need to appoint so many cronies to official positions when he seems to do everything himself yet as a very senior army officer he presumably was trained to delegate ?

Handing out sinecures as a ' thank you ' seems in line with the fact that nepotism etc isn't officially frowned on.

[needforspeed]

So this will squeeze out those that sell tickets just to be able to eat. Many are handicapped and no other opportunities. What will become of them? Is this revenge by the ruling elite against the poor because they voted shin?

You do have a point, however, when I have to pay 620 Baht to buy 400 Baht worth of tickets (a 5 pack) who needs to inflate the price so high.That is nearly a 50% profit margin after the normal profit after selling at 80 Baht. Last year after all the talk about fixing the price I was buying the tickets for 100 Baht. Then after the military and the Government tried to set the price to 80 Baht, that lasted about a week. now it is higher that before with a normal double ticket (face value 80 Baht) selling now for over 115 Baht and higher for 1 double ticket and the price goes up for multi tickets. Just yesterday the vender outside Tesco wanted 620 Baht for a 5 ticket pack with a face value of 400 Baht. I told her she was crazy.

correct greedy.

[Kesa]

So this will squeeze out those that sell tickets

when I have to pay 620 Baht to buy 400 Baht worth of tickets (a 5 pack) who needs to inflate the price so high.That is nearly a 50% profit margin after the normal profit after selling at 80 Baht. Last year after all the talk about fixing the price I was buying the tickets for 100 Baht. Then after the military and the Government tried to set the price to 80 Baht, that lasted about a week. now it is higher that before with a normal double ticket (face value 80 Baht) selling now for over 115 Baht and higher for 1 double ticket and the price goes up for multi tickets. Just yesterday the vender outside Tesco wanted 620 Baht for a 5 ticket pack with a face value of 400 Baht. I told her she was crazy.

correct greedy.

Yes, progress towards automation has eliminated many jobs around the world by reducing the human factor of greed.

[trogers]

So this will squeeze out those that sell tickets

Do you know how many jobs world-wide have been lost due to automation and technology progression?

And those who had lost their jobs have all starved to death by now.

[jerojero]

THIS is a priority? Unbelievable. What about massive police reform, among dozens of other important things!

[prakhonchai nick]

What's wrong with a single ticket for 40baht. Why do we need to buy 2?

Edited March 11, 2015 by prakhonchai nick

[steve187]

its buy one for 80 baht get one free BOGOF

[DrTuner]

Yeah, this is a burning issue the top management must instantly address by micromanaging it on the ground.

[Strangebrew]

Why not change system to a real lottery where the top prize grows till won believe it is called pari-mutual say a pick 6 number system where 3 out of 6 and up wins 7-11 could sell the tickets.

[Nbarch]

If a contract was signed 10 years ago to automate the lottery, then there is nothing to stop the government implementing a more modern and efficient system, quickly?

Or will it upset some people?

Edited March 11, 2015 by Nbarch

[Nuddy]

There has been a fair bit of news about the Thai lottery since the coup.

My understanding is that the General was restricted in what could be done before because some individuals termed the 3 Tigers held rights to two thirds of the lottery distribution. I find the following extract from the op as being the significant development now allowing some scope for change.

"As the latest lottery quotas allocated by the Government Lottery Office expire this August or September, the revamp of quota allocations is now underway to cover more stakeholders, such as upcountry vendors and convenience stores, to ensure that the public can buy lottery tickets at a reasonable and fair price."

Again my understanding is that lottery vendors in some places, especially up county paid more than 80 baht per pair thus explaining why a TV er said he was asked to pay 620 baht for 400 baht face value. Sure its not right but i imagine similar prices would prevail near by to the 620 for 400 baht outside tesco deal.

I did read a news item that said some 90,000 handicapped Khuns were involved in the distribution of the lottery tickets.

In my experience most changes in Thailand bring big rewards for influential people whilst at the same time disadvantaging the poor folk involved.

No doubt any lottery changes now in prospect will reap the same rewards and losses.

[mommysboy]

Masterstroke !