Ticket vendors have launched a protest calling on the Government Lottery Office (GLO) chief and board to resign and increase quotas for small-scale retailers.
Jeerasak Noikam, president of the Loei Province Lottery Club, led hundreds of lottery retailers to Government House on Monday who claim not to have received a reply to their petition calling on the GLO to offer them a quota of tickets priced at 70 baht.
The vendors say they have been forced to buy from other wholesalers at 92 baht, and pass on some of that additional cost to consumers.
"The protesters include not only those in Loei but other retailers nationwide," he said.
"The government acts like it is saving customers by suppressing overpriced tickets but it is pushing vendors towards disaster. If no one from the House comes out to talk, we will stay there indefinitely."
Meanwhile, another network representing small retailers, has also lodged its own complaint urging the Anti-Corruption Division to review the GLO's decision to cut the quotas of 50,000 sellers, its new e-ticket project and the sale of lottery sets.
The network revealed that many sellers have had their ticket purchase quotas withdrawn, despite many being disabled and their petition included a renewed plea for the GLO to reexamine their quotas.
Previously, Bluedragon Lottery Co ticket sellers lodged a complaint with police after the GLO sent letters to them cancelling their quotas for April. They were advised that the case can proceed as the GLO had apparently failed to give them the obligatory 30-day notice period, during which they are entitled to appeal, before the cancellation.
Prime Minister's Office Minister Anucha Nakasai said he will ask the GLO chief and board to talk with the protesters but an internal oversight committee had yet to report any issues regarding quotas or prices.
Asked if he would dismiss the GLO chief and board, he said he will not and will find an acceptable solution for all sides.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said e-ticket sales through the Pao Tang app have been a great success with 6,715,399 out of the latest batch of 7,167,500 e-tickets for the Aug 1 draw snapped up since going online at 6am on Sunday.