Chiang Mai lottery fever spikes as Songkran hopefuls chase lucky numbers

The buzz of the Thai New Year, known as Songkran, is palpable in Chiang Mai, where locals eagerly anticipate the lottery draw on April 16. Amidst the festive fervour, the city’s lottery vendors witness a surge in sales, with certain lucky numbers becoming the talk of the town.

Today, at 8.30am, the atmosphere in Chiang Mai was electric with anticipation, as residents sought to purchase lottery tickets for the upcoming draw. The excitement was not limited to a single area but spread across various bustling locations such as fresh markets, railway stations, the Arcade Transportation Hub, Chiang Mai Gate, and the Nong Hoy area along Mahidol Road in the Mueang District.

Lottery tickets were priced at 100 baht (US$ 2.7) each, while lottery sets, which consist of multiple tickets, ranged from 110 to 120 baht each (US$ 3 to 3.2). A set of five tickets was selling for 700 baht (US$ 19). These prices reflect the high hopes pinned on the lottery during the Songkran festival, a time of renewal and, for some, a chance for a significant financial windfall.

Pannee, a lottery vendor, shared insights into the sales patterns during Songkran. She noted that the sales are steady as vendors like herself cannot roam about due to the festivities and the likelihood of getting drenched. The vendors adapt by setting up fixed selling points to avoid the inconvenience of moving around in wet conditions.

Adding to the lottery fever, Pannee highlighted the most sought-after numbers for this draw. Predictably, numbers corresponding to the Songkran dates – 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 – have sold out fast. Similarly, numbers associated with Chiang Mai’s 728th anniversary, such as 413, 414, and 415, were in high demand. Chinese calendar numbers like 372 and 692, and numbers considered auspicious such as 02, 05, and 18, also saw a spike in interest, reported KhaoSod.

Adding a celestial twist to the lottery craze, Ploypailin, a numerologist who combines astrological insights with regional numerology, offered her predictions. For the upcoming draw on Tuesday, April 16, she suggested pairs like 1, 0, and 9, with 5 being a particularly auspicious number. She emphasised the potential of double numbers this round, given the influence of Saturn 5, advising lottery enthusiasts to keep an eye on such combinations.