Thai airport taxi driver who stole from Aussie arrested after three years

[webfact]

Picture: Sanook

 

A review of cold cases has resulted in the arrest of a Thai taxi driver who stole more than 100,000 baht in cash from an Australian man three years ago, reported Sanook.

 

CCTV showed Mr Adrian leaving a pink taxi #4894 after being delivered to Suvarnabhumi airport on May 2nd 2018 from the Sukhumviit area of Bangkok. 

 

He gave a cheery wave of thanks to the taxi driver for unloading his bags from the trunk without realising he was the victim of theft. 

 

He soon realised that his passport and 40,000 baht, $4,000 Australian dollars and $350 were all missing.

 

He went to the airport police but the tourist police were subsequently unable to find the driver who was discovered to be Chaiwat, 54. There was no record of an address with the leasing company for the taxi, KS Leasing. 

 

It soon emerged that Chaiwat took the passport to the Australian embassy but made no mention of any money and an arrest warrant was issued by the Samut Prakan court. 

 

It took until last Friday to find him when he was nabbed walking in the Bang Phlat area.

 

He was taken to the airport police and charged with stealing at an airport using a conveyance. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-07

 

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[Pottinger]

Better than stealing at an airport using a convenience, one supposes...

[colinneil]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

A review of cold cases has resulted in the arrest of a Thai taxi driver who stole more than 100,000 baht in cash from an Australian man three years ago,

Well well, that is certainly a different than normal taxi driver story.????

Normally it is taxi drivers finding then returning a hundred thousand baht.

Wonder how T.A.T. will spin this one.

[trainman34014]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Well well, that is certainly a different than normal taxi driver story.????

Normally it is taxi drivers finding then returning a hundred thousand baht.

Wonder how T.A.T. will spin this one.

Stand by for a story within 24hrs of a Taxi Driver returning five Million Baht found on the floor of his Cab today !

[SomchaiCNX]

There was no record of an address with the leasing company for the taxi, KS Leasing. 

 

Now you know how safe Thai taxi service is. Are they fined as well or closed down?

 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He went to the airport police but the tourist police were subsequently unable to find the driver who was discovered to be Chaiwat, 54. There was no record of an address with the leasing company for the taxi, KS Leasing.

Great country, anyone can drive a taxi without giving any back-ground checks?

3 years to find him... Jeez.

Any chance the guy will get compensated for his loss.... as the driver's had plenty of time to spend it all.

[bangon04]

"He was taken to the airport police and charged with stealing at an airport using a conveyance. "

 

"conveyance" - maybe you get more fines for using a baggage trolley to escape with a tourist luggage...

 

wait until e-scooters are allowed into the airport.....

[jacko45k]

Better keep taking those phone pics of the driver's details while riding to and from the airport... the police need the help.

[Henryford]

Why would he take the passport to the Embassy (and give his details). Surely a thief would just dump it, or try to sell it.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Henryford

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Henryford said:

Why would he take the passport to the Embassy (and give his details). Surely a thief would just dump it, or try to sell it.

Either hoping for a reward, or covering his rear end to say "What money?''

[Damrongsak]

I see "Soon, soon, soon" - 3 years ago!  The cab driver ticked someone off and they finally nailed him now. 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Damrongsak

[impulse]

I'm curious...  Did the driver deliberately steal the goodies, or did the Aussie forget them in the taxi and the driver found them later?

[RobMuir]

On 6/7/2021 at 10:00 AM, colinneil said:

Wonder how T.A.T. will spin this one.

I don't think they would bother Colin.

 

But if you see something let me know.

[scorecard]

On 6/8/2021 at 12:09 PM, brianthainess said:

Either hoping for a reward, or covering his rear end to say "What money?''

Where does it say he gave his details to the OZ Embassy/ Maybe he just stopped at the security hut on the footpath gave a security guard the passport through the passengers door window and drove off? Did they record the rego. No; who knows?

 

[RichardColeman]

On 6/7/2021 at 4:00 AM, colinneil said:

Wonder how T.A.T. will spin this one.

bury it in 50 positive taxi stories would be my guess

[pjmorton]

Well, it seems the driver must have lived on the lam, not working for 3 years. Just imagine trying to do that on 100k Baht! Awesome... 

 

Even before getting caught, I think he managed to prove the adage that that crime does not pay (at least in this case not very well).

[brianthainess]

20 hours ago, scorecard said:

Where does it say he gave his details to the OZ Embassy/ Maybe he just stopped at the security hut on the footpath gave a security guard the passport through the passengers door window and drove off? Did they record the rego. No; who knows?

 

It would all be recorded on their CTV.

[hgma]

remarkable............... 3 years after the theft.

i applaud the persistence of the RTP in this "cold" case.

[Moo 2]

When I return home from my holiday I usually am just about broke! This Aussie is heading back home with a lot of cash. Couldn't it find places where to spend his money?!  

[Tarteso]

Just a Garbage of “man” driving a Taxi

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

good to hear that the police do follow on cold cases.

 

a friend of mine told me that he was robbed, few years ago, near the bangkok airport, when

he returned from a flight and took a taxi. the taxi suddenly took a turn to a dark alley, another man got inside , and they took all his belonging under threats of knives.

 

i did not ask him if he went to the police because it was abvious the police will not help.

maybe now i should ask.

[balo]

A positive story for a change. I did not know the police are working on cold cases.