In spite of calls from some to cancel the two-and three-digit lotteries once and for all, the interim government has pushed to legalise lotteries that have become very addictive for tens of millions of Thais.

Besides, any government would find it hard to end lotteries that have generated billions of baht for the state's coffers.

Who could blame Pridiyathorn if he has to make the difficult political decision to maintain the lotteries, even though it would certainly make him a target for criticism?

It's uncertain whether Pridiyathorn has ever bought a lottery ticket. Nonetheless, he certainly knows the lottery is a hard habit to break.

Lotteries have flourished along with the human desire for material gain and the tendency to enjoy some excitement from the uncertainty that comes with gambling.

In fact, the history of lotteries can be traced back through the centuries. It came with the human desire for prosperity. Lottery gurus claim that lottery-style games date back to the days of the Pharaohs of Egypt.

Keno, a game resembling the winning numbers in the lottery, is more than 3,000 years old. It is believed it was first played in China to fund the building of the Great Wall.

It was also said that Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, also strongly advocated lotteries as funding for the country's development. Many churches and Ivy League universities, such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton, were funded in part by lotteries.

This may be the reason that inspired the government under former PM Thaksin Shinawatra to introduce the lotteries to finance student scholarships.

However, the lotteries have turned a number of Thais into addicts. Even though the odds of winning are very slim, some gamblers spend roughly one-third of their income on them.

The news about jackpot winners always features on the front pages of mass-circulation dailies.

Some also see lotteries as a kind of entertainment - the gamblers are thrilled with the suspense while awaiting the result.

Pridiyathorn said he had planned to duly pass the lottery law through its three readings before the New Year.

Meanwhile, lottery fans may gamble against the future of Pridiyathorn as they wait to see how the controversy evolves and how it affects his political career.

busdsk@nationgroup.com