Ex-homeless Chiang Mai man wins 18 million baht lottery
Relatives flocked to the home of a former homeless man in Chiang Mai after he struck it rich with a winning lottery ticket worth 18 million baht.
The lottery winner, 68 year old Suthon, also known as “Uncle Jae,” lives alone in a rented room in San Pa Tong district. He earns just 350 baht a day from odd jobs and pays 1,500 baht a month for rent. But on December 1, he hit the jackpot with three first-prize government lottery tickets, number 641252, instantly turning his life around.
After news of his win spread, relatives from several districts rushed to visit him. Many offered to take him in and care for him. However, they couldn’t reach an agreement on where Suthon should go.
The situation escalated when bank staff from two different institutions showed up at his home, urging him to deposit the winnings with their banks. The relatives disagreed on which bank to trust. In the end, they took him to a bank in downtown Lamphun to claim the prize.
Chaiyavej Boonthima, village head of Ban Piang, revealed that the Chiang Mai social welfare office had earlier approved a 40,000 baht budget to build a small house for Uncle Jae. But after his lucky break, officials decided to reallocate the funds to help others in greater need.
Chaiyavej also said the landlord offered to sell the property where Uncle Jae now lives for just over 2 million baht. He recommended the purchase as a stable long-term investment that could generate rental income. He also urged Uncle Jae to spend wisely and avoid wasteful decisions.
In similar news, a construction worker from Surin province has won the lottery 10 times in a row, attributing his success to the spiritual power of the mythical serpent.
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