Phuket Red Cross Fair winner hands prize to his wife

PHUKET: The lucky man who won the grand prize of the Phuket Red Cross Fair lucky draw, a brand-new Honda City car worth 590,000 baht, today gave the vehicle to his wife for her 57th birthday.

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha handed the keys to 58-year-old Prasut Ruengjiradthien yesterday.

Mr Prasut is a Level 9 officer at the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority, and his wife, Mrs Aorrapin Ruengjiradthien, teaches at Anubaan Phuket preschool.

She turns 57 today.

Mr Prasut said that he supported the Red Cross by buying Red Cross raffle tickets every year.

“I didn’t expect to win any prizes. This year I bought 10 tickets for 1,000 baht. As a Phuket citizen I wanted to help by giving back to the community through the Red Cross,” Mr Prasut said.

“It was such a great surprise. I am very lucky to have won,” he added.

“We have always done charity work. We have no children, so we spend most of our free time helping students. We are happy to teach some of the kids who can’t even afford to pay tuition,” said Mrs Aorrapin.

“We also believe in the self-sufficiency economic theory of His Majesty the King and we follow that as part of our lives,” Mrs Aorrapin added.

The winning numbers for the grand prize and other major prizes were drawn at the fair, held at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket Town, on Saturday night.

— Warisa Temram