Student group submits an open letter to oppose Thai online lottery

[webfact]

Student group submits an open letter to oppose online lottery



BANGKOK: -- A group of university students submitted an open letter to the Finance Ministry this morning voicing their objection to the ministry’s planned introduction of online lottery service and sale of lottery tickets at convenience stores.

The group who claimed to represent students of Ramkhaneng, Ratchapruek, Thai Chamber of Commerce, Dhurakij Bandhit and Rajabhat Suan Sunantha universities and Prathuangwitthaya school showed up at the Finance Ministry to present their open letter addressed to Deputy Finance Minister Visut Srisuphan.

In the open letter, the group said they agreed with the government’s plan to resolve the overpriced lottery problem but opposed the plan to introduce online lottery service and sale of lottery tickets through convenience stores charging that the plans will encourage gambling and benefit the money barons.

They proposed that youths under 20 should be banned from buying lottery and sale of lottery should be banned on campus. They also suggested that a fund to be set up to help gamblers quitting the habit of buying lottery.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/student-group-submits-an-open-letter-to-oppose-online-lottery


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-18

[NextStationBangkok]

Online lottery is like selling suicide tickets to hell!

Most families will be affected for sure. The 50-100 Baht per day for lorry is worth for the family to have peaceful dinner than unrealistic dreams.

Government always finds an excuse for selling lottery and alcohol, which generates good revenue!

This is as good as legalizing the drugs for revenue.

[trogers]

Ban Facebook, line chats, etc. They are outlets for selling sex online.

[Katipo]

If only the politicians were as sensible and showed as much foresight as these students.

[trogers]

If only the politicians were as sensible and showed as much foresight as these students.

As though the love of gambling and lottery only developed in the age of the Internet and online services.

These students have foresight as far as their noses.

[Commerce]

Gambling was passed in the currently and still viable 1935 Law of Thailand, which permits gambling on horse racing and the lottery.

So what's gambling, and what is not in this country? If paying and playing against the odds to win the lottery or a horse race is acceptable, then what is the difference between that and a rolling roulette ball ending on red or black, or Brazil winning the world cup? The principle is EXACTLY the same - playing with your money in the hope of an advantageous win (if one is foolish enough to play against the odds, of course).

However, I did omit one thing. The private gambling dens are a majority shareholder vicinity of the RTP, which pays the upper echelons to permit selective blindmess - (apologies 'Blindness' - Freudian slap!).

[Gunna]

"sale of lottery tickets through convenience stores charging that the plans will encourage gambling and benefit the money barons."

Thai people will gamble no matter what system is in place so hard to encourage them to gamble more, especially since under the current system where sellers wander the streets and approach everyone to buy a ticket.

eg. I get approached to buy tickets several times a day, but seldom go into a convenience store.

At the moment the wholesale system benefits a few powerful families who have some how paid some-one to become rich middlemen for doing very little

Why not stipulate that the current ticket sellers have to supervise the lottery machines in the convenience store, that way many of the disabled sellers will have a job

[oneday]

They forgot to mention all the independent lottery ticket sellers that roam the streets in all cities that would probably lose their jobs or at the very least have a much reduced income due to the unfair or maybe I should say overwhelming competition of convenience stores.

[cup-O-coffee]

Any time I read or hear of anything that Thai students do, that reach the media headlines, and which are specifically auspicious, I immediately go into the "Who gives a shit" mode, and subsequently ask myself, "Which conniving adult put them up to it this time?".

I mean... Really!

[WhizBang]

Ban Facebook, line chats, etc. They are outlets for selling sex online.

Really? Wow, I must lead a sheltered life.

[Benmart]

Lots of rhetoric about banning this and banning that.

Ban lottery tickets.

Ban alcohol

Ban tobacco

Ban bars

Ban salted snacks

Ban sugary drinks

Ban Durian

Ban sex outside the home

Ban bad language

Ban jet skis

Ban food carts

Ban uncivil people

Ban advocates of banning

Etc., Etc., Etc.

Government is very good at banning all sorts of things. Perhaps, some are good bans and some not. I can't say since I am not in charge.

i guess that when a ban hits someone's interest area, there would be hue and cry in protest.

I'm not Thai and it's up to them.

[LuckyLew]

Does not matter where they sell the tickets, in stores or on the street

They are already everywhere ... so why not make them online and cut back the price?

On a side note, I used to see all the sellers selling ticket on the street for 100 baht,

noticed today they have all upped the price to 110 baht. Guess the mob that control

the tickets can see their graving train ending so they are trying for a last cash grab

[trogers]

Does not matter where they sell the tickets, in stores or on the street

They are already everywhere ... so why not make them online and cut back the price?

On a side note, I used to see all the sellers selling ticket on the street for 100 baht,

noticed today they have all upped the price to 110 baht. Guess the mob that control

the tickets can see their graving train ending so they are trying for a last cash grab

Easier to control against sales of lottery to the underage through convenience stores as they already are going so for alcohol and cigarettes.

[Daniel Ingalls]

I.....GUESS they want to stop the lottery scalping that is going on. People in wheelchairs selling 100baht tickets for 110-120 baht plus what the lottery sales office hands them for selling the tickets. I could careless one way or the other. I don't buy them, and don't really think about the people who do buy their dreams.

[FangFerang]

It is all a distraction. The problems they refuse to even acknowledge are 1) the lottery drawing is not televised or supervised and 2) the current setup favors key military members who own one of three conglomerates that "buy" the tickets and resell them.

It is the most blatant form of malignant corruption in the country -- and no one knows where the money goes afterwards, except the recipients.....

yest another step inn the right direction for the junta that consistently only takes one step, and always into the territories of those they oppose or those who cannot fight back (like land encroached villages)

[novo58]

It is all a distraction. The problems they refuse to even acknowledge are 1) the lottery drawing is not televised or supervised and 2) the current setup favors key military members who own one of three conglomerates that "buy" the tickets and resell them.

It is the most blatant form of malignant corruption in the country -- and no one knows where the money goes afterwards, except the recipients.....

yest another step inn the right direction for the junta that consistently only takes one step, and always into the territories of those they oppose or those who cannot fight back (like land encroached villages)

Lottery draw IS televised............................every draw, and they go to great lengths to "attempt" to ensure that the draws are NOT rigged.

yes , distribution of tickets IS a major issue..........................but machines in convenience stores just changes the recipient of the money - but accountability would be far greater this way than it is currently------------and also it just MAY get the selling price fixed to the regulated level.

[natway09]

I do not agree with selling lottery tickets or any form of gambling in convenience stores.

You will never stop gambling so suggest if wish to go online special licences are issued to proper kiosks

who are computer linked to the Commission.

All they have to do is go take a look at Australias system, pretty much corruption proof