Lottery `a way of life', not just gambling

Thailand - The government may consider the underground lottery harmful, but for many people who run it, and the punters, the lottery is a way of life.

An underground lottery operator in the Bang Kapi area said she saw no reason why the government should crack down on the underground lottery before tackling gambling dens.

``Some of my customers see the underground lottery as a recreational activity. They do not consider the lottery as a type of gambling but something they do for fun and to add excitement to their lives,'' she said.

Her customers included construction workers, market vendors, government officials, teachers, nurses and business proprietors.

They complained strongly when she stopped taking bets this month, saying the lottery was not evil like other gambling activities.

``They do not understand why they can't do something they have done for almost their entire adult lives,'' she said.

A 55-year old government official, who asked not to be named, said she had played the underground lottery since she was in her 20s.

``I do it for fun. It gives me a great feeling when I win. I don't mind if I lose sometimes because I spend only 200-300 baht each time and I think I can afford that amount,'' she said.

``For me, winning a few hundred baht is not a lot compared to my salary. I play the underground lottery not because I want money but because I like waiting for the lottery results. I get terribly excited,'' she said.

She welcomed the government's plan to issue two-digit and three-digit lottery tickets to wean people off the underground lottery. ``I would feel more comfortable if the lottery was legal,'' she said.

Another long-time underground lottery punter in the Ram-Intra area said it was a way to socialise with friends and colleagues.

``We often choose our numbers from events or dreams, or go somewhere to find the right numbers. Finding, discussing and sharing numbers is what we do on the day it is drawn,'' he said.

He was not worried about what would happen if the lottery dried up.

``I am sure we could put a bet on something else,'' he said.

Prof Sangsit Piriyarangsan of Chulalongkorn University, an expert on the black economy, said about half the adult population in Thailand had regularly played the underground lottery for more than 100 years.

At 3.30pm on the first and sixteenth day of each month, activity at many fresh markets, factories and government offices stops temporarily as people concentrate on the draw.

``In many provinces, it is commonplace for people to discuss and predict lottery numbers the day before they are drawn,'' he said.

``The underground lottery is more than just a type of gambling. The government must be extra careful about tackling the problem.

``Simply enforcing the law and stopping an activity does not solve the problem,'' Prof Sangsit said.