The draft of the amendments is scheduled for the NLA next Wednesday. The Cabinet gave it the go-ahead yesterday.

"Don't try to urgently push the draft through three readings at the NLA," Chamlong said, after Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula yesterday said he would try his best to expedite the amendment in the hope the lotteries could resume by December 30.

The lotteries were suspended after the Council of State ruled last week that they were illegal.

It said the GLO was not empowered by the act to operate the lotteries. It also noted that while the GLO gave a huge portion of its profits from the normal lottery ticket to state coffers in line with the act, it had failed to do so with the two- and three-digit lotteries.

Chamlong said the NLA and the government should listen to the opinions of people first as to whether they wanted the two- and three-digit lotteries to continue.

"At the very least, the NLA should set up a committee to gauge opinions. The committee should be given one month to do its job," he said.

Chamlong was clearly opposed to the lotteries, describing them as something that mislead people.

He said he would submit his written opinions on the issue to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont next Wednesday.

"If the government doesn't listen to me, I am going to hold a big press conference on November 26," Chamlong said.

Pridiyathorn yesterday said he would try to relaunch the lotteries as soon as possible with the purpose of preventing the underground lottery from making a comeback.

The Thaksin Shinawatra regime launched the two- and three-digit lotteries to counter the massive underground lottery. It offers a jackpot prize of at least Bt20 million, which is much higher than for the six-digit lottery.

The sizeable profits from the two- and three-digit lotteries were used to fund many projects such as scholarships for students. These projects had not received funding through the legislative process.

Critics have slammed the move as it would encourage the wrong attitude among people who love to take risks and wait for luck, instead of embracing self-reliance.

Pridiyathorn said the administration would not ignore the social impacts of the lotteries.

"The Cabinet has discussed measures that will stop more people from getting attracted to the lotteries," he said.

These included a ban on lottery advertising, televised lottery draws and news reports about jackpot winners.

Pridiyathorn said the Social Development and Human Security Ministry already had plans to develop a campaign to discourage people from buying lottery tickets.

"We believe the campaign is the most appropriate way to distract people from the lottery. Anti-smoking campaigns have worked," he said.

Government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyarap said the two lotteries now had about Bt15 billion available for use. About Bt10 billion of it would be transferred to state coffers.

"The remainder will be used as operating funds for GLO and used to fund anti-gambling campaigns by the Social Development and Human Security Ministry," Yongyuth said.

Meanwhile, Pridiyathorn said he had asked PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan - a legal expert - to look into a suggestion by Justice permanent secretary Charan Phakdithanakul that people behind the launch of the lotteries face legal action.

"The Council of State did not offer any recommendation in regard to this," the finance minister said.

Assets Examination Committee (AEC) member Udom Fuangfoong said a sub-panel was waiting for information from the Secretariat of the Prime Minister to help with the probe into alleged corruption in the lottery project.

Varathep Rattanakorn, a deputy finance minister when the Thaksin government started the project, said the AEC had summoned him to give information early next month.

"I am willing to give information. I am confident that I can clear up any doubt," he said.

Yesterday, more than 100 disabled lottery sellers rallied outside Government House against the decision to continue the two- and three-digit lotteries and use vending machines for them.

People with disabilities are granted a quota of the six-digit lottery tickets. But the new lotteries had affected their livelihoods.