Characteristic for Thais is their passion for gambling. It is really a national vice, and therefore all gambling is interdicted by law. According to an investigation of the Thai Farmers Research Center, up to 70% of Thais play more or less regularly in the legal, or in the so-called black lotteries. Everybody who has got some money buys a lottery ticket from the state lottery. He will not just buy any ticket, but tickets with certain final numbers. The lucky numbers one has either dreamed of, or - more often - when visiting a temple, shakes them from a drum filled with numbered sticks. And since this is not enough, there are everywhere within the neighborhood, mostly in the small shops on the corner, black lotteries where one bets on the last two figures of the winning ticket coming out in the next drawing of the state lottery. Such black lotteries run in Thailand in every village. If one is very rarely caught by the police, so much less by a win. When on the 1st and 16th of every month, the public drawing of the lottery numbers is shown on TV is it hard to find someone for working, because everyone is sitting in front of the TV, hoping that this time the good fortune has struck.

 

When a newspaper reported one day that a young girl had won a big sum, after praying to the god Shiva on Era wan Shrine, in the days before the monthly draw of the lottery, the inflow of visitors to this popular shrine was enormous. The guardians of the shrine had not only once a day, but several times during the day to clear away the wooden elephants and floral wreaths, with which God Shiva should be flattered to help people to get fortune in the lottery.

 

According to the "Bangkok Post" from June 17, 2000, the gambling business amounts annually to a total of about 300 billion baht, nearly one third of the national budget. Gambling is interdicted by law, but illegal gambling salons can be found everywhere in the large cities, and even in the small towns, there are enough addresses, where one can indulge in gambling, without worrying about disturbed by the police. They know of course of the unlawful action, but are paid for closing their eyes. It is also no secret in Thailand, and is repeated in the daily press that the professional gambling business is firmly in the hands of local law enforcement, or the military. If from time to time an illegal casino is removed, then it is because the payment did not have satisfied the "godfathers".

 

The fact that gambling is banned in Thailand is exploited by the neighboring countries. If one travels over the border into Cambodia, just across the border one can find large casino, giving the impression that you are in Las Vegas.

 

In addition, many other possibilities, to make money are offered and eagerly used, such as cock fights and duels between specially bred fighting fishes. All this is prohibited by law, but nobody cares to follow the law.

 

Even the use of public toilets reflects the desire of the Thais for gambling. Instead as usual waiting in a row for a cabin available, following the rule "first in - first out”, any Thai will wait in front of a cabin door, hoping that he has caught someone who is quickly finished with his business

 

Although because of the passion of the Thais for gambling it is prohibited by law, in cases of death the law is de facto abrogated. If someone has died in the village, everybody coming in the evening to the funeral home has the opportunity to make a quick game. People sitting around the coffin, as well as in front of the house, forming playing rounds... If somebody from a wealthy family has died, expecting wealthy funeral guests, the professional gamblers from around the area will mingle with the funeral guests.

 

Whoever wins, will not keep his money for himself, but will entertain his friends and often more than the entire profit will be spend. That is not a problem however, because all have had Sanuk, and - for the Thais very important - the lucky winner has done something for his "face", because he has shown that he is a generous man.

 

The passion of the Thais to gamble is not limited to men. Farang haven taken a wife from Thailand to Germany have experienced, that the cheerful small Thai community in his neighborhood, where his wife is so comfortable, is definitely a gambling club, serving to waste the income of the husbands in the shortest time.