Gambling in Thailand
The primary form of legal gambling in Thailand is the national lottery. It was started in 2003, mostly because a large underground lottery system was already operating and the government felt the best way to drive it out was to create an officially sanctioned lottery system.
I think Mr Bumkin that you will find the Thai lottery of the 1st and 16th of the month started well before 2003.
I arrived permanently in LOS in September 1986, and had my first and only win on the lottery on November 1st 1986. Not really surprising that I have never won again - I have never bought another ticket!