Bangkok Taxi Driver Returns Handbag with $3,310 and Passports to Burmese Owner

[webfact]

 

Bangkok—On March 16th, 2024, FM91 Trafficpro publicly revealed the case of a Bangkok taxi driver returning a handbag containing 3,310 US dollars and two Myanmar passports after a passenger left the items behind on March 7th.

Mr. Songchai Chaiiam, a 51-year-old taxi driver, expressed his feelings that for 30 years of his service, he always returned passengers’ left-behind property to FM91 Trafficpro, Police Communications Division, Chatuchak, Bangkok.

 

This time was the most valuable thing ever that he had returned to passengers, according to Songchai. The second he found the handbag, he worried about the owner as he/she might not have sufficient money to stay in Thailand, said Songchai.

Songchai then handed the handbag to FM91 Trafficpro to search for the owner right away.

“Money is hard to gain. Every taxi driver should be honest if they find left-behind property from any passenger. Furthermore, all passengers should check if they forgot anything before stepping out of the taxi and they should remember the taxi’s information in case anything happened,” noted Songchai.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2024-03-18

 

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[flyingtlger]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Mr. Songchai Chaiiam, a 51-year-old taxi driver, expressed his feelings that for 30 years of his service, he always returned passengers’ left-behind property

 

Good man! We need more taxi drivers like him!

[soalbundy]

4 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

 

Good man! We need more taxi drivers like him!

As a Thai he would find it difficult to exchange large amounts of dollars for Baht.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

 

Good man! We need more taxi drivers like him!

If only he was in the majority.

[2baht]

30 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

As a Thai he would find it difficult to exchange large amounts of dollars for Baht.

$3310 is not a large amount of money!

[Red Forever]

36 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

If only he was in the majority.

He is!

[actonion]

This  has to be the 6th case in less than a year, if u can believe it ...always involving very large sums of money and always on the back seats of Bangkok taxi's ... New P.R stunts needed

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, 2baht said:

$3310 is not a large amount of money!

Around 130,000 Baht cash is no small amount, especially for a Thai taxi driver, he would have to show an id to exchange the dollars which could be dangerous if suspicions were aroused.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Red Forever said:

He is!

The silent majority... 

[zhounan]

Well done Mr. Songchai

Edited March 18 by zhounan

[george]

Video update:

 

 

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

If only he was in the majority.

True, but if anyone really wants to find out the honesty of taxi drivers in Thailand ie the fare from Pattaya  to the Mochit bus terminal is 1,300Bt, so it should be the same for the return journey. So ask a taxi driver at Mochit bus terminal for a fixed price to Pattaya and I would bet that 99.9% will ask for more than that. I did that and there were various prices from 1,600Bt to 2000Bt, Not one quoted the proper price of 1,300 Bt. I did eventually get one for 1,300Bt, but I negotiated down from 1,600Bt. That proves to me just how honest Thai Taxi drivers really are.  They obviously thought I was a tourist.

Edited March 18 by NoshowJones

[Mark Nothing]

My experience does not reconcile with this story.  I inadvertently dropped my el cheapo smartphone in a bangkok taxi while being dropped off at my hotel many years ago.

 

We agreed on a next day bangkok taxi ride and he showed up at my hotel too smiley.  I  was looking around the back seat for my phone and told him what I was looking for.  He told me a 1,000 baht finders fee or he will keep my phone and pawn it.

[jacko45k]

23 hours ago, soalbundy said:

As a Thai he would find it difficult to exchange large amounts of dollars for Baht.

Really?  I don't expect it would be myself.