Bangkok Taxi Story.

[dddave]

My friend died last month after being hit by a car in Pattaya. Yesterday, his brother was in Bangkok, visiting the US Embassy to get death certificates and other documents then to a company that handled the funeral to collect his brother's ashes.

He got into a taxi on Wireless Rd. after leaving the embassy and went to Sukhumvit 39 where the funeral agency was. He somehow left his bag, containing his passport and $2000 in the taxi.

Panicked phone calls all around. Police station for a police report because you can not apply for a replacement passport without one. Obviously a very bad situation for a person already dealing with a tragedy.

Later that day, I get a call from a representative of the Indigo Hotel on Wireless Road. The taxi driver had later found the bag in his cab. Because my friend had gotten into the taxi near the Indigo, he, on his own accord, brought the bag there and gave it to their care. She had somehow found my number on a paper in the bag and called me.

Miraculously, because the taxi driver and the hotel employee went way out of their way, my friend was re-united with his bag, passport and money.

Both refused any reward.

[ezzra]

one of the few righteous men in Sodom and Gomorrah.

[swm59nj]

I commend the taxi driver and hotel staff for their honesty.

The driver that allegedly took 50000 baht and flowers in the previous story should learn something from this driver. Good luck with that. 
 

 

[AndyFoxy]

Nice to hear a good news story.

[josephbloggs]

Thanks for sharing, there are many good people out there.

[Red Forever]

I've said it before.

Bangkok taxis are among the best in the world.

[Liverpool Lou]

That's great, good to read.   What is really odd, though, is that normally this type of report about an honest Bangkok taxi driver and hotel employee would be net with derision and contempt by Thaivisa members as being fabricated and unbelievable and purely intended to balance out less positive reports.   I wonder what's so different this time?

[1FinickyOne]

The kindness of Thai people happens to me often - - total strangers who help out and refuse any money... it is quite heart warming and glad that your friend had the same experience... 

[timendres]

Two weeks ago I was walking home. I recently developed a corn on my little toe, so walking can get painful after a km or so. As I was (clearly, but not overly) hobbling along, a taxi pulled up alongside me. He rolled down his window and offered a ride. I explained that I lived just 200m up the road, and would walk. "Free" he said, repeating it twice. I accepted, and had a nice chat for the 200m ride. A genuinely nice person who I think could see I was having a tough time walking and decided to relieve me of that pain.

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, dddave said:

Panicked phone calls all around. Police station for a police report because you can not apply for a replacement passport without one. Obviously a very bad situation for a person already dealing with a tragedy.

Someone going through a difficult and traumatic time and a potential disaster hanging over his head.

Yet again, genuine, friendly people come to the rescue.

Well done.

Thank goodness that there are more good people in the world than bad ones.

Edited February 23, 2023 by Tropicalevo

[josephbloggs]

35 minutes ago, timendres said:

Two weeks ago I was walking home. I recently developed a corn on my little toe, so walking can get painful after a km or so. As I was (clearly, but not overly) hobbling along, a taxi pulled up alongside me. He rolled down his window and offered a ride. I explained that I lived just 200m up the road, and would walk. "Free" he said, repeating it twice. I accepted, and had a nice chat for the 200m ride. A genuinely nice person who I think could see I was having a tough time walking and decided to relieve me of that pain.

Once I was walking from home to the nearest ARL station (about 3kms) as I couldn't find a taxi. Then it started raining. A motorbike came up behind me, stopped, asked me where to, I told him and off we went. When he dropped me at the station I asked how much, and he just said "no no no" waved and drove off smiling. It was only then I realised he wasn't a motorbike taxi but just a random guy on a bike who saw someone about to get drenched and decided to help.

On two other occasions I have had random cars stop in my moo ban as I have been walking (it's a huge moo ban) and offered to drive me to where I was going which I accepted and we talked all the way.

Thai people are nice.

[tomazbodner]

You have good people and you have bad people. There are far more good people than bad ones. However, most people take good ones for granted, and complain about the bad ones, resulting in mostly only the bad ones getting the air time.

 

I have had some very positive stories about the taxi drivers. Most are great, hard working, honest people.

 

A few are rotten <deleted>, who can be found near tourist spots, malls, etc. parked and waiting for that one person to cover their entire day. Most are easily avoidable.

[proton]

5 hours ago, Red Forever said:

I've said it before.

Bangkok taxis are among the best in the world.

Yes the taxis are fine, it's the drivers who are the problem, no meter, no go, finish work etc etc

[3NUMBAS]

time was when arrivals at don muang used to get their throats cut by renegade taxi drivers ,,,70s to 80s period

[Lorry]

4 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

time was when arrivals at don muang used to get their throats cut by renegade taxi drivers ,,,70s to 80s period

No, that still happened around 2005 or 2010

[Lorry]

8 hours ago, timendres said:

Two weeks ago I was walking home. I recently developed a corn on my little toe, so walking can get painful after a km or so. As I was (clearly, but not overly) hobbling along, a taxi pulled up alongside me. He rolled down his window and offered a ride. I explained that I lived just 200m up the road, and would walk. "Free" he said, repeating it twice. I accepted, and had a nice chat for the 200m ride. A genuinely nice person who I think could see I was having a tough time walking and decided to relieve me of that pain.

The same happened to me once,  too.

[tpbon]

Left my laptop at Suvarnabhumi. Didn’t discover it missing until the next morning. Now what are the chances of getting that back? When to lost and found and surprisingly it was there. Found by an airport employee. I tried to give a reward but was told no need. 
 

There are way more honest people here then one would believe after reading ASEAN Now. 

[Thingamabob]

21 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

time was when arrivals at don muang used to get their throats cut by renegade taxi drivers ,,,70s to 80s period.

First visited Thailand in 1961, lived and worked here from 1983-87, retired here in 1993. I remember only one report of such an event.