Undercover payments: Lottery vendors reveal ‘protection fees’ to local police in Kamphaeng Phet
A sticker coined “lottery protection fees” has emerged in Kamphaeng Phet province, with lottery vendors revealing they pay a monthly fee of 500 baht per booth to local police. The fee allegedly allows them to sell lottery tickets above the set prices within their territory only, but it doesn’t guarantee they won’t be fined.
According to a lottery vendor in Kamphaeng Phet province, the sticker indicating the payment protection fee depicts a temple and a monk pavilion. Vendors within a specific area are only allowed to sell lottery tickets above the set prices in their territory. Selling in other territories may result in getting caught by police, informed by vendors from those areas due to territorial restrictions.
Different areas have unique stickers, and lately, there has been a surge in “protection fees” for truck transporters making the campaign more visible. The lottery vendor claimed that they are indeed paying 500 baht a month as part of the “lottery protection fees” and that most customers who look to buy lottery tickets at inflated prices are police officers from other areas. If caught, vendors may have to pay fines of 5,000 baht per incident. As a result, they begrudgingly pay the fees to avoid getting caught, even though it doesn’t guarantee they won’t be fined.
Lottery vendors are already facing high costs to obtain their tickets, coupled with the risk of being caught and prosecuted. If the new government takes this issue seriously, it will be viewed as a positive step and prevent some officials from collecting “lottery protection fees” that put both vendors and buyers alike in trouble. Meanwhile, some police officers have been claiming the need to increase the fees due to “new bosses” at the helm.
There was another lottery bribery found in Bangkok. It was revealed that some police officers negotiate monthly payments of 500-1,000 baht from lottery sellers to avoid inspections and provide protection. Large-scale sellers may have to pay much more – up to 8,000 baht per month. To read more click here
