A MOST UNUSUAL LOTTERY

Thais buying New Year cards for their troops in Iraq could win a free trip with the military to the war-torn country.

The Thai Defence Ministry has put two million Happy New Year postcards for its 443 medical and engineering troops in Iraq on sale to raise money for food and medicine for Iraqis.

The names of people buying the cards, which cost five baht (12 U.S. cents) each, will go into a draw.

''Winners of the draw will represent the Thai public and travel with an armed forces delegation on a C-130 plane to give moral support to our troops at Lima Camp in Karbala,'' ministry spokesman Major General Palangkul Klahan said on Friday.

Thailand insists it will keep its troops in Karbala, south of Baghdad, at least until March despite a series of attacks on foreigners.

The date of the lucky draw has yet to be decided, Palangkul said.