Lottery Dispute Escalates as Buyer Challenges Vendor's Shifting Story

A lottery dispute that has divided a community continues to intensify as the buyer challenges the vendor's contradictory statements. Paa Yom, a regular customer, claims she ordered ticket 287,184 through Paa Daeng, the sister of Paa Mani, the lottery stand owner, via phone based on their long acquaintance. However, no photographic evidence or written confirmation was made. When the ticket won first prize on June 16, 2024, ownership became immediately contested.

Paa Jing initially told media she did not claim the prize and did not know who bought the winning ticket. However, she later admitted to lawyer Paisal Ruettheeth that she had redeemed the prize herself, reasoning that because the first-prize ticket remained in her stand, it must belong to her. This contradicts her earlier denials and conflicts with video recordings in which she stated she did not win.

Paa Yom has never received the ticket numbered 184 she ordered. She notes that Paa Jing's account has shifted repeatedly and is inconsistent. When confronted about verification with the government lottery office, Paa Jing acknowledged she personally claimed the winnings.

Regarding the question of why Paa Yom checked the results around 7 p.m. on the draw day, she explained she was away conducting a mobile community service providing free haircuts with the local district office. When she returned to her beauty shop, customers kept coming. Only in the evening, after a friend messaged asking if she won, did she remember ordering ticket 184. She had won a fifth-prize ticket before, so she messaged Paa Jing but received no reply, only a read receipt.

Paa Yom stated that despite the case now in court, she harbors no personal ill will toward Paa Jing, and they were once close friends who ate together and treated each other like sisters. She had publicly offered 200,000 baht if Paa Jing returned the ticket, a promise she posted online. Yet Paa Jing continues to maintain she did not win.

When asked if she would accept the prize money now, Paa Yom replied it is too late, and she insists the matter follow legal proceedings. She remains confident that she genuinely ordered ticket 184, despite the lack of written proof.