Residents in Ban Khai district of Rayong suspect illegal lottery operators of vandalising a shrine after a large number of people reportedly won lottery prizes using numbers they believed came from the sacred site.
People who pay their respects at San Jao Pu Naraesuan have urged Thai news agencies to publicise the damage in the hope of preventing further vandalism, Amarin TV reported.
The shrine, including its statues, offerings and other items, was reportedly damaged, with objects scattered across the ground.
Residents told the media that they revered the shrine, believing it was home to supernatural powers and the spirit of grandfather Nataesuan. People regularly visit the site to pray for good fortune and seek lucky numbers to use when buying lottery tickets.
According to residents, almost the entire village had recently won lottery prizes after purchasing tickets using numbers they believed they had received by paying respects at the shrine.
Some residents bought tickets legally through the official Pao Tang application, while others purchased numbers from local illegal lottery vendors.
Residents suspected that some vendors might have damaged the shrine after the number of winners increased the payouts they had to make, affecting their profits. However, no evidence or CCTV footage has been reported to confirm who was responsible for the damage.
Some people living near the shrine told Amarin TV they heard loud noises coming from the site in the middle of the night but were too afraid to investigate.
It remains unclear whether residents or people involved in constructing the shrine intend to take legal action over the damage.
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