KANCHANABURI: The Appeal Court has for the last time rejected teacher Preecha Kraikruan's request to freeze the 24-million-baht lottery prize won by retired policeman Jaroon Wimool, effectively ending their long-running dispute over the winnings.
Pol Lt Jaroon, his wife and his lawyer were at Kanchanaburi Provincial Court in Muang district on Thursday to hear the decision of the Court of Appeal Region 7 on Mr Preecha's final petition for the freeze on the government lottery prize-money to be continued.
The court rejected Mr Preecha's appeal, ruling that the court of first instance had the authority to unlock the lottery prize, and the previous decision, on Aug 22 last year, to free the money was final.
Pol Lt Jaroon, 64, won 30 million baht with a set of five tickets with the same number, 533726, in the Nov 1, 2017 draw.
He cashed the tickets and deposited the taxed prize of 29.85 million baht in his Krungthai Bank account in Kanchanaburi. He spent 5.5 million baht of the money, leaving a balance of 24.35 million baht.
In December 2017, Preecha, 52-year-old teacher of Buddhism at Thepmongkol Rangsee School in Kanchanaburi's Muang district, complained to police that he had lost the five prize-winning tickets. He accused Pol Lt Jaroon of theft. The legal dispute led to the seizure of the 24.35-million-baht still in the account.
On June 4 last year the Kanchanaburi Court acquitted Pol Lt Jaroon, ruling that the tickets did not belong to teacher Preecha.
The acquittal prompted Pol Lt Jaroon to seek a civil court order to unlock his money.
His lawyer Sittha Biabangkerd said on Thursday that Pol Lt Jaroon had full right to use the money and would take legal action against witnesses for Mr Preecha.