Anti-lottery members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) yesterday threatened a walkout if there was any attempt to pressure the assembly to consider and pass a bill aimed at fully legitimising the two- and three-digit lotteries in three straight readings.

The NLA will begin scrutinising the bill today.

A source representing the anti-lottery members said his group would adopt drastic measures to make sure the law, if eventually passed, did not proceed further for His Majesty the King's approval.

Apart from violating the government's own policy on a self-sufficiency economy and a vice-free society, the bill, if eventually made into an act, would serve as an amnesty for the Thaksin government who unlawfully started the lotteries, to seek legal immunity during court trials.

General Parnthep Phoowanartnurak, an NLA member, said the 242 NLA members were now divided into three groups over their stance towards the lotteries: the opponents, the proponents, and a majority of moderates, who will be a crucial factor in deciding the future of the two- and three-digit lotteries.

A pro-government member, Parnthep said the amendment process was not likely to be done in three-straight readings as vowed by the government. The bill will be shot down, or accepted in principle, pending a final approval from a public hearing.

Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka and Udom Fuengfung, who jointly lead an investigation into the lottery issue, earlier met privately with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont before the Cabinet meeting began and submitted information and evidence against those responsible for initiating the lotteries.

Deputy premier and Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula later said a recommendation by Jaruvan and Udom implicated different groups of people found responsible: the board of directors of the Government Lottery Office (GLO), and then GLO director Surasit Sangkhaphong; a former finance minister, deputy ministers and a permanent secretary; and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Council of State (COS) secretary-general Khunying Phornthip Jala said earlier that the COS ruling never said those responsible broke the law by starting the lotteries, but merely indicated that they over-utilised their authority in doing so.

Pridiyathorn told the Cabinet meeting the government had to carefully summarise the issues relating to the lotteries because the public were getting confused.

"The government has to make clear that the whole issue doesn't mean that the lotteries are bad - or that resuming the operation is wrong," he added.

Repeating the government's explanation, Pridiyathorn said the lotteries operation was authorised by a Cabinet decision. An act to approve it was required, and that the revenue generated through the lotteries was not allocated to the government's coffers - but spent freely without regulation.

He said the NLA needed to understand that around 30 million people with low-incomes still needed to try their luck. "To serve the needs of around 30 million people, the NLA should allow us to resume the lotteries," he said.

PM's Office Minister Prasith Kowilaikul dismissed criticisms that the Surayud government was now practising a double standard by finding fault with the Thaksin government over the lotteries issue, while trying to legitimise it while it was in power.

He said this government was not biased against anyone and would exercise its power fair and square.