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Published on November 13, 2007

National Legislative Ass-embly (NLA) member Parn-thep Phoowanartnurak said the government should not have pushed for the lottery bill, which was eventually shot down, but should instead have waited for it to be scrutinised by the new government.

Deputy Interior Minister Theerawut Butrsriphum said he disagreed with the bill and did not approve of the decision to pass it. He said the two- and three-digit lotteries initiated by the Thaksin government did nothing to eliminate the illegal underground lottery.

The seminar was organised by NLA speaker Prasong Soonsiri, an opponent of several government policies including lotteries. Finance Minister Chalongphob Suss-angkarn and activist Sangsit Phiriyarangsan, who support the lotteries, did not attend.

Theerawut said licensed casinos would be a better option to draw off the huge amounts spent on the underground lottery. He dismissed claims by pro-government NLA members that the two- and three-digit lotteries would keep the poor happy.

Former senator Chirmsak Pinthong said the two- and three-digit lotteries would not make the Thai economy or the gross domestic product index any stronger. "It would only move money from the poor to the rich people's pockets. It will not create production, service, revenue or employment,"

The Nation