The government is being urged by a network of students to enforce the prohibition on lottery vendors selling tickets to people under 20.

In an open letter, addressed to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday, the student group said numerous lottery vendors sold tickets to students in school uniform, when the group sent its members, aged 17-19, to buy lottery tickets from vendors at 50 locations in Bangkok and Nonthaburi, despite the fact that selling to under 20s is illegal.

The group claimed that the students were able to make online lottery purchases as well, from three online lottery distributors.

It is Children’s Day in Thailand tomorrow (Saturday), so the group is urging the government to strictly enforce the law to protect children from involvement in all kinds of gambling, including the lottery.

The group’s coordinator, Vasinee Sonsaeb, urged the government and opposition parties to place more importance on youth than on financial gains from lottery sales.

Easy access to lottery betting may put students at risk of becoming hooked to gambling, she warned.