The “Lottery Capital”: Unsettled Localism of Wang Saphung District, Loei Province, 1990-2010

Abstract

This article examines the formation of the “Lottery Capital” identity, referring to the city of lottery vendors in Wang Saphung District, Loei Province, and its power relations with other existing local identities. The study draws on data from interviews with lottery entrepreneurs, supplemented by research documents, newspaper articles, and social media sources. The findings indicate that this local identity emerged alongside the expansion of lottery entrepreneur in the 2000s. Owing to their close involvement in the lottery trade, residents of Wang Saphung have implicitly incorporated the notion of a lottery entrepreneur city into their social identity. However, this identity has been neglected by government agencies and local authorities, which instead prioritize tourism and moral narratives that conflict with the perception of lotteries as a vice. At the same time, the group of lottery entrepreneurs associated with this identity movement lacks cohesion due to their diverse backgrounds and objectives. Moreover, public engagement remains largely symbolic and has been unable to produce tangible change. Consequently, the distinctiveness of the lottery-based economy has yet to establish itself as a stable local identity or function as an effective tool for negotiating and protecting local interests.