PM Abhisit: Government seeks to scrap online lottery project

BANGKOK, Jan 3 (TNA) – The government will task a committee to determine how to end an electronic lottery project without compensating the firm contracted by a previous government to provide the service, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday.

Emphasising his opposition to the lottery vending project, Mr Abhisit said a panel headed by Kiat Sittheeamorn, president of the Thailand Trade Representative, would study laws and contracts made with the company. The prime minister said the project would have negative impact on the society, especially on youth.

The panel will have 30 days to work after it is set up, he said, explaining that the government could be sued if the scheme is scrapped immediately.

Mr Abhisit said he believed the online lottery which the government must decide by the end of March, will not solve the problem of the existing underground lottery, which is popular among low-income earners.

Regarding vendors overcharging government-sponsored lottery tickets, Mr Abhisit said he has assigned Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij to find ways to eliminate the illegal lottery.

The government lottery results are out twice monthly, on the 1st and 16th. (TNA)