Lottery vendors threaten to rally in Bangkok

[Lite Beer]

Lottery vendors threaten to rally in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Lottory vendors in Loei threatened to rally in Bangkok if the government ignored their call for the Government Lottery Office (GLO) to suspend its plan to sell lottery ticket at convenience stores.

The threat came as the vendors rallied in Loei province yesterday to express their opposition to a planned move by the government to sell lottery tickets in convenience stores, on fear of losing income.

A hundred of lottery vendors gathered at the Wang Saphung local administrative office to oppose and to call on the government to review its plan to allow sales of lottery tickets in convenience stores.

Carrying placards showing their opposition to the plan, they said the plan would affect small scale lotto vendors.

The plan is part of the government’s attempt to modernize the country’s lottery system and to address high price of lottery tickets.

Although the face value of lottery ticket is 80 baht but when it comes to customer, the price is marked up several step and now is sold between 100-120 baht.

Wang Saphung district is known to have the largest number of small scale lottery vendors in Thailand. Many of its residents have their part-time jobs as lottery sellers, especially during times of economic trouble.

The vendors said the high price of lottery tickets is caused by the ticket distribution system which involves middle person.

To reduce lottery ticket price, they suggested that the state-owned GLO allocate lottery tickets directly to them to sell without passing through brokers.

The vendors peacefully dispersed after Wang Saphung district chief Wisa Yanyaluk received their complaints and promised to urgently forward them to the government.

The vendors said if their complaints were ignored, then they would travel to Bangkok to rally at the GLO.

In a related development, the GLO board held its meeting in Pattaya City to discuss the renewal of lottery quota system before the several decades long quota system is due to expire in June.

The meeting was chaired by Somchai Sujjapongse, the board chairman who also is director-general of Customs Department.

The board discussed which groups should receive a quota share of a total 48 million lottery tickets, and relevant regulations.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/lottery-vendors-threaten-to-rally-in-bangkok

-- Thai PBS 2015-03-21

[JOC]

Dear lottery-vendors.

Maybe it is time to get a real job??

Most of the vendors are able bodied people between 25 and 45!!

[Fiddlesticks]

Can you imagine the disruption and utter chaos that can occur if these 100 vendors took to the streets in Bangkok to protest? The city would come to a complete standstill! I can imagine that there is an emergency meeting of high level government officials going on right this minute to decide how they should address this catastrophic threat. International wire services will soon be sending teams to cover this crisis.

I guess the lotto vendors know that this threat will result in immediate government action.

[clockman]

This lottery should have been outlawed, Another goverment scam.

[Costas2008]

Dear lottery-vendors.

Maybe it is time to get a real job??

Most of the vendors are able bodied people between 25 and 45!!

Dear lottery-vendors.

Please help JOC to read English.

Wang Saphung district is known to have the largest number of small scale lottery vendors in Thailand. Many of its residents have their part-time jobs as lottery sellers, especially during times of economic trouble.

[northernjohn]

Not all venders are people with no disabilities. I would like to see the government help these people rather than take a source of income away from them.

Kind of like the states where big business is catered to by the government and those with little ignored. Make no mistake about it 7/11 is big business.

[NickJ]

Middle man syndrome yet again....

[bkkjames]

How about this.

Those current lottery sellers with disabilities can get a share of the revenue from tickets sold (at machines) in the future - perhaps some skills training to boot to allow them to move onto something else. Those without, can go do something else if they are able bodied. What's the unemployment rate here? >1%

[kalbo123]

So revolution comes from an unexpected corner!

[bkkjames]

So revolution comes from an unexpected corner!

lol

[Toknarok]

Can you imagine the disruption and utter chaos that can occur if these 100 vendors took to the streets in Bangkok to protest? The city would come to a complete standstill! I can imagine that there is an emergency meeting of high level government officials going on right this minute to decide how they should address this catastrophic threat. International wire services will soon be sending teams to cover this crisis.

I guess the lotto vendors know that this threat will result in immediate government action.

I was unable to get a figure on how many small lottery sellers there are in Thailand but I'll bet it is tens of thousands. If they ALL decided to rally in Bangkok then there certainly would be chaos.

[JOC]

Dear lottery-vendors.

Maybe it is time to get a real job??

Most of the vendors are able bodied people between 25 and 45!!

Dear lottery-vendors.

Please help JOC to read English.

Wang Saphung district is known to have the largest number of small scale lottery vendors in Thailand. Many of its residents have their part-time jobs as lottery sellers, especially during times of economic trouble.

Dear lottery-vendors.

Please help Costas to understand the country, he is living in.

All lottery sellers in Hua Hin are from upcountry, mostly from Loei. (maybe even the Wang Saphung district?). They live here full time in rented houses and been doing so for years. So no part time workers here!! And all of them are able bodied people.

So why are they here? Probably because the profits from their "job" is to good to turn down!!

By now you should be aware, that it is part of Thainess to complain about economic hardship no matter how many millions you have in the bank.................

[JAG]

I must confess that I really can't see what harm is done by small scale lottery ticket vendors, disabled or able bodied.

I can see the attractions to the convenience store chains (which are very big business, and no doubt have, or are about to make, some very good friends in high places) in having an effective monopoly over lottery ticket sales.

Looks like the little man is being shafted here.

Edited March 21, 2015 by JAG

[Strangebrew]

Simple solution to problem Register all vendors and issue permits to buy and sell lottery tickets directly from GLO. Dump middleman period. Then vendors can't say tickets cost to much and up the price. all unsold tickets returned To GLO get refund of costs. This way vendors don't need middleman for tickets. what they earn is based on commission from sales. IE: ticket face value 80 baht there costs 75 baht so 5 baht profit per ticket. If caught selling over face value loss of permit and can't apply for new permit for 2 years.plus 10,000 baht fine, also when selling tickets must display permit with there picture on it.

[Strangebrew]

The problem is greed pure and simple.

[JOC]

I must confess that I really can't see what harm is done by small scale lottery ticket vendors, disabled or able bodied.

I can see the attractions to the convenience store chains (which are very big business, and no doubt have, or are about to make, some very good friends in high places) in having an effective monopoly over lottery ticket sales.

Looks like the little man is being shafted here.

>>Looks like the little man is being shafted here.<<

No the little man is being shafted today by being overpriced 50%!!

[Bluespunk]

"The vendors said if their complaints were ignored, then they would travel to Bangkok to rally at the GLO."

Bet you don't.

[Thian]

Come to BKK !! The army is waiting for ya, bring your bicycles as well and park them on the main roads, let's have some fun

[Orac]

Simple solution to problem Register all vendors and issue permits to buy and sell lottery tickets directly from GLO. Dump middleman period. Then vendors can't say tickets cost to much and up the price. all unsold tickets returned To GLO get refund of costs. This way vendors don't need middleman for tickets. what they earn is based on commission from sales. IE: ticket face value 80 baht there costs 75 baht so 5 baht profit per ticket. If caught selling over face value loss of permit and can't apply for new permit for 2 years.plus 10,000 baht fine, also when selling tickets must display permit with there picture on it.

The problem with refunding money on unsold tickets would be that only losing tickets would be cashed back in. Imagine the value of one of these permits if it allowed you to get a large number of tickets and then claim refunds on the losing tickets after the draw while claiming prizes on winning tickets. It would be very difficult to refund costs on unsold tickets before the draw took place.

[Jip99]

So revolution comes from an unexpected corner!

Shoot a few and it will start to address the over-supply!

[Thian]

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Simple solution to problem Register all vendors and issue permits to buy and sell lottery tickets directly from GLO. Dump middleman period. Then vendors can't say tickets cost to much and up the price. all unsold tickets returned To GLO get refund of costs. This way vendors don't need middleman for tickets. what they earn is based on commission from sales. IE: ticket face value 80 baht there costs 75 baht so 5 baht profit per ticket. If caught selling over face value loss of permit and can't apply for new permit for 2 years.plus 10,000 baht fine, also when selling tickets must display permit with there picture on it.

The problem with refunding money on unsold tickets would be that only losing tickets would be cashed back in. Imagine the value of one of these permits if it allowed you to get a large number of tickets and then claim refunds on the losing tickets after the draw while claiming prizes on winning tickets. It would be very difficult to refund costs on unsold tickets before the draw took place.

Err, refunds of the losing tickets after the draw?

[klauskunkel]

Lottery vendors threaten to rally in Bangkok

That is a formidable threat. Better stock up on lottery tickets...

[MaxLee]

Dear lottery-vendors.

Maybe it is time to get a real job??

Most of the vendors are able bodied people between 25 and 45!!

I second that,....

[Eddy B]

I have not bought a lottery tickets here before as I could never choose the numbers I wanted. I think it would be better if there was a system where you could go into a Tesco's, Big C or 7/11 and fill in a lottery ticket form and it is fed into the till/computer system and you get your ticket. Also you only pay exactly what the ticket is worth. So say one set of numbers 40 baht, two sets of numbers 60 baht and so on. Each set of numbers containing six numbers from 1-50. Now these new tills should be stand alone units so that do not hinder other shoppers, so at the help desk area would be good place they seem to do bugger all but sit there. This would completely cut out the middle man scams and keep the ticket price at it's face value. Just my thoughts.............plus they could also hire people with disabilities to work at these counters.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

scrap the whole system and go digital like the real world. This set up is a scam. sell digital tickets from convenience stores etc. and take the corruption out of the system instantly.

[AZBill]

And they will be immediately imprisoned in the interest of Happiness!

[Bob12345]

Simple solution to problem Register all vendors and issue permits to buy and sell lottery tickets directly from GLO. Dump middleman period. Then vendors can't say tickets cost to much and up the price. all unsold tickets returned To GLO get refund of costs. This way vendors don't need middleman for tickets. what they earn is based on commission from sales. IE: ticket face value 80 baht there costs 75 baht so 5 baht profit per ticket. If caught selling over face value loss of permit and can't apply for new permit for 2 years.plus 10,000 baht fine, also when selling tickets must display permit with there picture on it.

The problem with refunding money on unsold tickets would be that only losing tickets would be cashed back in. Imagine the value of one of these permits if it allowed you to get a large number of tickets and then claim refunds on the losing tickets after the draw while claiming prizes on winning tickets. It would be very difficult to refund costs on unsold tickets before the draw took place.

Please explain.

You either bring the lottery ticket back to the GLO office and get your money back, or you don't bring it back before the draw and you don't get your money back.

Where exactly is it becoming very difficult?

[kurce]

Simple solution to problem Register all vendors and issue permits to buy and sell lottery tickets directly from GLO. Dump middleman period. Then vendors can't say tickets cost to much and up the price. all unsold tickets returned To GLO get refund of costs. This way vendors don't need middleman for tickets. what they earn is based on commission from sales. IE: ticket face value 80 baht there costs 75 baht so 5 baht profit per ticket. If caught selling over face value loss of permit and can't apply for new permit for 2 years.plus 10,000 baht fine, also when selling tickets must display permit with there picture on it.

The problem with refunding money on unsold tickets would be that only losing tickets would be cashed back in. Imagine the value of one of these permits if it allowed you to get a large number of tickets and then claim refunds on the losing tickets after the draw while claiming prizes on winning tickets. It would be very difficult to refund costs on unsold tickets before the draw took place.

Please explain.

You either bring the lottery ticket back to the GLO office and get your money back, or you don't bring it back before the draw and you don't get your money back.

Where exactly is it becoming very difficult?

Furthermore, licensed vendors could be allocated a certain amount of tickets, with subsequent allocations determined by amount of tickets sold. Next allocation reduced to amount of tickets previously sold and increased if they sell out and request more.

Or it could be commission based with no up-front cost to the vendor at all. Same return procedure and allocation rules apply.

Cheers.

[novo58]

I think that people need to learn just what type of "game" we are talking about here and exactly how it works.

A TRUE LOTTERY has a fixed number of tickets that are sold and when ALL those tickets are sold .......a draw is held and a NEW lottery starts being sold .

Draws are numbered draw #1, draw #2 , draw #3 ....and so on . Each ticket has ONE unique number within the defined number of tickets that are sold ( eg, 000001 - 999999) and CLEARLY shows which lottery draw the ticket is in. This system means that the number of the ticket that you buy is totally random( issued by a random number generating ticket printing machine).

There is usually a 1st,2nd, 3rd prize as well as prize for one number off the first prize either way. Then maybe 10 prizes at ( for example) 5000B, 50 prizes at 2000B and 100 prizes at 500B.

There could be some type of jackpot element( In NSW Australia, a lottery there has a jackpot prize .......to win this jackpot you have the prize draws as listed above , reset the machine then draw one new number ....if that number HAS ALREADY WON A PRIZE IN THE ORIGINAL DRAW then it wins the jackpot as well (this means that your number has to be drawn in effect twice which is very hard given the odds of even being drawn out one).

The CURRENT THAI LOTTERY ....................well Im not sure exactly how it work . How many tickets are issued ............and sold. What happens to unsold tickets. If the winning number IS NOT sold before the draw...............does the seller/wholesaler or someone else claim it as a winner if they locate it in their unsold ticket stock ? Is there MORE than one ticket sold for each unique number. I read somewhere about 14 million tickets being sold.....if it is ONLY a 6 digit number..................unique number sales only accounts for 1 million ticket sales( give or take one for the pedants).

A TRUE LOTTERY as mentioned above does not make provision for the current 2 and 3 number draws/prizes.

The ALTERNATIVE is to go for a lotto/powerball/keno type game. This way people CAN select their own numbers. Many countries/states etc run this type of game. There are many companies throughout the world that would happily set up this type of game......................for a pre-determined set percentage of the take. It would probably totally eliminate all and any corruption .........................One problem is of course that once again the BIG BOYS win out over the little guy. Lets say tickets were sold at 100B...............10B to selling outlet,10B to lottery company,

20B to charitable fund run by govt, 60B towards prizes ( just as an example)

Someone also has to look at the cost of the infrastructure to set up on line sales. You will need a ticket printer, a modem, secure links to the master mainframe computer, stationery, training, advertising( FOR EVERY OUTLET OR PLACE OF SALE). In this day and age all this is not difficult...............just time consuming. Is there a cost for the on-line equipment to the vendor or is it provided free of charge.

[kurce]

If the want to completely automate the system and keep the vendors satisfied, supply the vendors with hand-held devices.

These hand-held devices would offer the same facilities of a vending machine, be connected to a network and have receipt printer attached.

Cheers.