Panel set to probe high ticket prices

The government has set up a high-level committee to address the problem of overpriced lottery tickets and ensure that the retail price is capped at 80 baht apiece.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had instructed the committee to begin work immediately.

The panel will be headed by PM's Office Minister Anucha Nakasai and include the heads of several government agencies.

Among them are the attorney-general, permanent secretaries of the Finance, Interior, Justice, Human Security and Social Development ministries, as well as the chiefs of the Budget Bureau, the Department of Special Investigation and the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Seksakol Atthawong, an assistant minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, was appointed vice-chairman while the Government Lottery Office (GLO) director will serve as its secretary.

The committee will look into the causes and factors behind lottery ticket overpricing and make recommendations about how to resolve the issue and make prices fair for retailers and consumers.

Mr Anucha said he has a lot of homework to do because the prime minister expects the longstanding problem to be resolved.

However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only informal discussions will take place initially until the situation improves.

In December last year, the GLO came up with a three-point plan to combat lottery overpricing which included setting up 1,000 outlets offering tickets at 80 baht apiece across the country.

It also decided to call a fresh round of registration for some 200,000 lottery vendors in an attempt to weed out those who sell overpriced tickets.

Current lottery vendors registered for lottery ticket quotas in 2015.

Lottery tickets are priced at 80 baht, but many vendors mark the price up to 90 or 100 baht claiming the tickets pass through several large vendors who raise the prices before reaching them.