Taxi driver gets staggering 37,000 baht tip in return for a 677 baht ride

[webfact]

 

A taxi driver was left startled after a passenger gave him two 500 euro notes as fare for a trip that only cost 677 baht. The passenger, a foreigner, told the driver, “I gave you change,” insinuating he didn’t want any change back.

 

The driver shared his story in a Facebook group, Thailand Taxi Drivers, which instantly created a buzz. The two 500 euro notes, when converted to Thai currency, have a value of around 37,000 to 38,000 baht, a windfall that exceeds winning a lottery.

 

In response to comments, the driver further explained that he had picked up the foreign passenger from downtown to drop him off at Don Mueang Airport. However, there was a mix-up, and the passenger was supposed to be dropped off at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

The passenger then gave him just 30 minutes to make the transfer from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi, promising a special payment if he made it on time and the passenger didn’t miss his flight, reported Sanook.

 

by Samantha Rose

Picture courtesy of Sanook

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-13

 

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[ezzra]

To me it seems like the passenger made a mistake giving two 500 Euros banknotes instead of two 500 baht banknotes as they look similar, no sane person will willing give that much as a tip no matter how generous the're...

[nausea]

Yeah, I agree with ezzra; the guy was in a hurry, all hassled up, not thinking straight, and gave the taxi driver two 500 Euro notes, instead of 500 baht notes.

[MangoKorat]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The passenger then gave him just 30 minutes to make the transfer from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi, promising a special payment if he made it on time and the passenger didn’t miss his flight, reported Sanook.

What type of taxi was it?  A Porsche?

[Tony M]

Lots of counterfeit 500 Euro notes in circulation. Hope he checked them before trying to exchange them.

 

https://www.bundesbank.de/en/press/press-releases/more-counterfeit-200-and-500-banknotes-in-circulation-760640

[rattlesnake]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

To me it seems like the passenger made a mistake giving two 500 Euros banknotes instead of two 500 baht banknotes as they look similar, no sane person will willing give that much as a tip no matter how generous the're...

 

I worked with high-end clients a couple of decades ago and 500-1,000 euro tips were standard.

[Gottfrid]

Soon to be read! Foreign man stranded for 11 days at airport, with no money to get home. 

[smedly]

what time of the morning

 

the guy was obviously out of it

 

he thought he was paying in baht

 

stupid ####

 

the taxi driver should have realised there was something wrong - maybe the fact the guy was out of it

 

shame on the taxi driver or maybe he was trying to convince everyone he didn't rob the guy, either way he needs to meet the guy and confirm it was all above board.....................I very much doubt it

[smedly]

2 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

 

I worked with high-end clients a couple of decades ago and 500-1,000 euro tips were standard.

for what lol

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

 

I worked with high-end clients a couple of decades ago and 500-1,000 euro tips were standard.

To a taxi driver, in Thailand? Or to others, in Europe? There's a very big difference.

[The Theory]

Counterfeit 🤔😆🤣

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

what time of the morning

 

the guy was obviously out of it

 

he thought he was paying in baht

 

stupid ####

 

the taxi driver should have realised there was something wrong - maybe the fact the guy was out of it

 

shame on the taxi driver or maybe he was trying to convince everyone he didn't rob the guy, either way he needs to meet the guy and confirm it was all above board.....................I very much doubt it

 

What a ridiculous post. If anyone was out of it it might be you. You suggest - twice - that the passenger was out of it (based on nothing at all), and even suggest the driver robbed him and should meet with the passenger to sort it out, when anyone with a brain would know that if a passenger was going to the airport he might, might, be leaving the country.

 

How about the passenger was panicking because he was afraid of missing his flight after being asked to be taken to the wrong airport, and in his rush confused two purple Euro notes with two Thai purple notes. And how about a Thai taxi driver not having a clue about the Thai/Euro exchange rate.

[Ben Zioner]

5 hours ago, nausea said:

Yeah, I agree with ezzra; the guy was in a hurry, all hassled up, not thinking straight, and gave the taxi driver two 500 Euro notes, instead of 500 baht notes.

Yes, but it is pretty stupid to keep your foreign currency in the same place as your THB. Especially 500 Euro bills.

[smedly]

13 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

What a ridiculous post. If anyone was out of it it might be you. How about the passenger was panicking because he was afraid of missing his flight after being asked to be taken to the wrong airport, and in his rush confused two purple Euro notes with two Thai purple notes. And how about a Thai taxi driver not having a clue about the Thai/Euro exchange rate.

really ?

 

you need a lesson in real world Barry, seriously you do

 

and real world Thailand is up a notch compared to most, I am really surprised at that post from you............don't bother with a reply

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, smedly said:

really ?

 

you need a lesson in real world Barry, seriously you do

 

and real world Thailand is up a notch compared to most, I am really surprised at that post from you............don't bother with a reply

 

I edited my post as I came to realise just how stupid your post was. Here's version 2:

What a ridiculous post. If anyone was out of it it might be you. You suggest - twice - that the passenger was out of it (based on nothing at all), and even suggest the driver robbed him and should meet with the passenger to sort it out, when anyone with a brain would know that if a passenger was going to the airport he might, might, be leaving the country.

 

How about the passenger was panicking because he was afraid of missing his flight after being asked to be taken to the wrong airport, and in his rush confused two purple Euro notes with two Thai purple notes. And how about a Thai taxi driver not having a clue about the Thai/Euro exchange rate.

[ezflip]

My question is, how did he get 500 euro notes? I tried at my local DeutscheBank and was told that they were not in circulation... I guess they are still available in other countries?

[BenStark]

5 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

What type of taxi was it?  A Porsche?

 

Yep 

[BenStark]

5 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

 

I worked with high-end clients a couple of decades ago and 500-1,000 euro tips were standard.

 

 

On a 15 Euro job?

[smedly]

41 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I edited my post as I came to realise just how stupid your post was. Here's version 2:

What a ridiculous post. If anyone was out of it it might be you. You suggest - twice - that the passenger was out of it (based on nothing at all), and even suggest the driver robbed him and should meet with the passenger to sort it out, when anyone with a brain would know that if a passenger was going to the airport he might, might, be leaving the country.

 

How about the passenger was panicking because he was afraid of missing his flight after being asked to be taken to the wrong airport, and in his rush confused two purple Euro notes with two Thai purple notes. And how about a Thai taxi driver not having a clue about the Thai/Euro exchange rate.

you are embarrassing yourself, give it a rest, take your meds

 

consider yourself special - welcome to my ignore list, very few are there but when someone constantly posts nonsense when they have been told to drop it - you leave me no choice, bye

[bignok]

Notes similar to baht. Mistake.

 

 

[bignok]

The driver is an idiot. Passenger might come back ask for change due to error.

[Dirk Z]

500 euro notes are preferably used by criminals. I have never had one in my hand and indeed the bank no longer prints them.

[EdrigoSalvadore]

2 hours ago, ezflip said:

My question is, how did he get 500 euro notes? I tried at my local DeutscheBank and was told that they were not in circulation... I guess they are still available in other countries?

I got them at TT currency in Pattaya, and I then used them in Germany this year. The Germans acted strange when I handed it to them, but they accepted it.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, bignok said:

The driver is an idiot. Passenger might come back ask for change due to error.

The passenger was taken to the airport. Do you think it might have been to catch a flight and leave the country? What do you think?

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, The Theory said:

Counterfeit 🤔😆🤣

They weren't.  As the OP confirmed.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, BenStark said:

 

Yep 

Nope.  That wasn't a Thai taxi.

[proton]

Hope he managed to change it, the exchanges and banks are pedantically fussy over the slightest mark, crease or tears.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

welcome to my ignore list

Always the saddest post in any thread.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, proton said:

Hope he managed to change it, the exchanges and banks are pedantically fussy over the slightest mark, crease or tears.

Obviously, the notes weren't soiled as the OP confirmed he had exchanged them.

[bignok]

13 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Always the saddest post in any thread.

You havent made my list yet