Picture courtesy of Thailand News

 

A heartwarming story from Suvarnabhumi International Airport is drawing admiration across Thailand after security guard Patchara Phiraphan swiftly returned a lost bag filled with gold necklaces to its owner just before his flight to India. The feel-good incident, captured on CCTV at Gate 8, unfolded today, April 18.

 

While on duty, Patchara noticed a small bag on the floor, which upon inspection, was revealed to contain valuable gold jewellery. Acting promptly, she alerted the airport's operations centre, sparking a digital hunt using CCTV and facial recognition to locate the bag's owner, an Indian traveller who had misplaced it after disembarking a shuttle bus.

 

Thanks to the quick response, airport staff were able to intercept the passenger at the security checkpoint moments before his departure. Overjoyed and emotional, he was reunited with his precious belongings, thanks to Patchara's integrity and quick thinking.

 

 

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport director Kittipong Kittikhajorn announced that Patchara, along with her colleagues Itthiphon Chankla and a Royal Thai Army Police officer, will receive formal recognition through plaques and certificates for their commendable actions.

 

The gold—a 2-salung necklace—had considerable value, particularly given the current high gold prices. Despite the temptation, Patchara's immediate instinct was to ensure its return, exemplifying what an airport spokesperson described as "the highest standard of Thai hospitality."

 

This act of honesty has gone viral, with social media users celebrating Patchara as a "national treasure" and praising her for enhancing Thailand's image to international tourists. As aptly expressed by one traveller: "In a world full of turbulence, it’s nice to know Suvarnabhumi still has a few angels on the ground.", reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-04-18

 

 

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

swiftly returned a lost bag filled with gold necklaces to its owner just before his flight to India.

 

Someone looses a bag 'full of gold necklaces' and does not report it lost?

Something wrong with this story.

Ah big brother!

 

CCTV and facial recognition 

 

☻🤔

When someone is aware of the CCTV cameras, they tend to 'do the right thing '.

 

I'd like to think this was true, but it just seems 'too true'......taxi drivers finding bags of money, guards finding bags of gold.....?????

And the first 4 posters in this thread have a negative view on what is obviously a nice story.

What is wrong with you that you can’t see a nice story for what it is?

Snow-white and the Seven Dwarves, is a nice story too.

4 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

And the first 4 posters in this thread have a negative view on what is obviously a nice story.

What is wrong with you that you can’t see a nice story for what it is?

 

Yes, its a nice feel good story, But, why is being honest newsworthy in the first place ???

 

 

I'm surprised there has been no comment regarding an Indian with a bag of gold necklaces ?? 

... buys them off Ladyboys to sell to the next round of Indian tourist to visit beach-road Pattaya ?

Awareness of CCTV cameras is a factor in modifying people's behaviour.

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Yes, its a nice feel good story, But, why is being honest newsworthy in the first place ???

 

 

 

Because in a world of negativity and antagonism shouldn't we also highlight some of the positives?

Maybe it’s not BBC worthy but certainly AN worthy. 

 

 

15 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

Someone looses a bag 'full of gold necklaces' and does not report it lost?

Something wrong with this story.

 

If something dropped out of my bag, chances are I wouldn't know it until I unpacked at my destination.  Unless it was something I needed to use along the way.  Which isn't gold jewelry.

 

1 hour ago, PopGun said:

When someone is aware of the CCTV cameras, they tend to 'do the right thing '.

 

We had an experience of lost/found property at Terminal 21, most likely related to the CCTV. 

 

Picked up a purse at one of the seating areas, found security and opened it in her presence; US cards inside plus stuffed with US currency, $100s; she took a photo of me with the purse open and we had to wait for police . . . my contact details, again my photo plus photo of my ID, photo of the purse, ID and money . . . can only guess worried about being blamed for missing $. 

 

Never heard back. Maybe it was all for show and they shared the money after I left? Anyhow, seemed a thorough process.

 

 

Such honest conduct should not go unrewarded. A plaque & medal just don't cut it!

Some years ago, on Pattaya's Walking Street, in the days when ATM's dispensed you cash before ejecting your card, I took my cash and walked off into the crowd.

I was possibly fifty yards away from the ATM when a young Thai lad caught up to me and gave me my card that I'd left in the machine.

Another time, some years later, I got out of a Taxi outside my hotel in Bangkok and he drove off, it was then that I realized that my bag was in his boot.

Not expecting to see my bag again, I resigned myself to the loss.

An hour later the driver turned up at the hotel with my 'lost' bag'

 

 

1 hour ago, johnnybangkok said:

And the first 4 posters in this thread have a negative view on what is obviously a nice story.

What is wrong with you that you can’t see a nice story for what it is?

Great comment.

Once, I lost my phone in a Taxi, that drove me to Don Muang Airport. It fell out of my pocket, while I exited from the taxi.

It wasn`t an expensive phone though, but still, the taxi driver was already around Laksi when other Taxi drivers at the airport helped me to contact him.

He made a U-Turn and came back to Don Muang and gave me back my phone without any charge for the empty ride.

These things really happen.

 

 

6 hours ago, PopGun said:

When someone is aware of the CCTV cameras, they tend to 'do the right thing '.

 

When somebody works at a major airport and is aware just how much surveillance there is.

6 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

And the first 4 posters in this thread have a negative view on what is obviously a nice story.

What is wrong with you that you can’t see a nice story for what it is?

Many members come here to complain about Thais daily. They can not and will not ever say any positive about Thais.

Variation on a theme of the obligatory TAT feel-good story of the lost bag in a taxi.

Lost my I phone it dropped out my pocket in the toilet between arrival and immigration,checked on my I pad it was showing as still in airport.reported it to airport police/lost property. Luckily it had been found by lady toilet cleaner reclaimed it later that day she refused a gift from me. 

And despite all the surveillance https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/14/heathrow-baggage-handlers-haul-stolen-items-20644482/

Very lucky to get a suspended sentence.

On 4/19/2025 at 4:07 PM, PopGun said:

in the days when ATM's dispensed you cash before ejecting your card,

I.e. today!