Authorities in Thailand are resorting to a DNA test to determine the rightful winner of the nearly $1 million (30 million Thai baht) lottery prize after two individuals stepped up to claim it.
One of the claimants, 50-year-old teacher Preecha Kraikruan said he lost the five winning lottery tickets, which were later claimed by 62-year-old retired policeman Charoon Wimon.
Kraikruan earlier filed a complaint, stating that he had lost the five lottery tickets that won a draw last month, reports the Agence France-Presse via the Straits Times.
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Local police then discovered that the prize amounting to $921,300 had already been collected by Wimon in the western province of Kanchanaburi. Wimon’s bank account, where the multi-million baht prize was deposited has been frozen, according to Thai PBS.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the two claimants of the prize were to be subjected to a lie detector test by the local police to determine their real owner. The collection of the DNA samples from the winning ticket was supposedly the following step in the investigation.
Forensic police have since been tapped to investigate the case as both parties have laid claims to the handsome payout. A team of investigators will conduct tests to determine whose DNA and fingerprints match the ticket stubs.
“No one has been charged yet in this case as we have to wait for the DNA test results,” deputy Kanchanaburi provincial police commander Krissana Sapdet was quoted as saying.
A forensic official from the justice department said the results will be ready by January.
