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.
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