Abhisit Verjjajiva, the Prime Minister of Thailand, reported that he is very worried about the effect that the proposed online lottery could have on the nation’s society.

The problem is, however, that the Government Lottery Office signed a contract with Loxley GTech Technology in 2005 and is under contractual obligation to allow online lottery. Sales were schedule to begin as long ago as 2006.

The Prime Minister has formed a committee in an endeavor to dismantle the online gambling initiatives and told the Bangkok Post that he does not want online lottery but that he must solve the problem of the obligations under the contract with Loxley GTech Technology. He feels that online lottery can cause lots of problems and has appointed Thailand Trade Representative who is a member of his Democrat Party to lead a group to find a way of removing the online lottery smoothly.

However, not everyone shares the Prime Minister’s view and Opposition Member of Parliament, Surapong Towjakchaikul of the Puea Thai Party is totally against such a move. He feels that if the planned launch of the lottery does not go ahead it could result in adverse effects as students would lose education opportunities that could be funded by revenues from the online lottery. He also feels illegal lottery bookmakers would sell overpriced lottery tickets.

Trijak Tansupariri, Chief Executive Officer for the Loxley GTech Technology Company feels that the decision on online lottery should be left to the public and that the legal division of his company would examine the situation.