Couple Sentenced for Stealing Lottery Ticket Worth 150,000 Baht
A husband and wife were sentenced to one year in prison for stealing a neighbor's winning 150,000-baht lottery ticket and burning it to destroy evidence, though they agreed to pay compensation and help her claim the prize.
A court has sentenced a husband and wife to one year in prison for stealing a first-prize lottery ticket belonging to Pa Khayan and burning it to destroy evidence. The couple has agreed to pay 150,000 baht in compensation and apologized in court. Pa Khayan has reserved her right to claim the prize money from the national lottery office.
The case began when Pa Khayan asked her neighbors to check her lottery ticket. The neighbors initially told her it had won the grand prize but then suggested she leave it with them for safekeeping. When Pa Khayan returned the next day to retrieve it, they claimed the ticket was a loser and had been thrown away. Police investigation revealed the neighbors had actually stolen the winning ticket and burned it to avoid legal trouble.
At trial, both defendants confessed to theft and destruction of property. The court sentenced each to one year imprisonment (reduced from the original charge), imposed a fine of 10,000 baht each, and ordered them to perform 24 hours of community service and report to a probation officer four times. The couple has committed to cooperating as witnesses to help Pa Khayan claim her lottery winnings from the national lottery office.
