Honesty In Bangkok - Honest !

[IssanSaint]

With all the bad press we hear of scams and rip-offs, I was pleasantly surprised on my most recent visit to LOS . I've always stayed at the Opera Hotel , Pratunam on arrival in Bangkok and after checking in had a beer by the pool before going to my room.

After a 3 hour kip I realised I didn't have my wallet . Searched the room - no luck . Panic !! Debit card / credit card / Bt23k cash / driving licence. I went to reception to explain what I'd done when I heard a shout . A young Thai lad of about 20 had recognised the photo of my partner in the wallet he'd found by the pool, while cleaning, and seemed genuinely pleased to have tracked me down !!

He wouldn't accept 1000bt reward, so I arranged for him to get the evening off and we had a few beers and saw a cracking live band in town somewhere, with a couple of his mates.

Thanks to his honesty I got my wallet, my sanity, a couple of new buddies - oh and a hangover !!! Restored my faith in human nature for sure

[flightcrew1]

Now that made my morning! A positive experience!

[Shotime]

I take back anything and everything negative I've ever said about Thailand, and human beings in general

[BigSnake]

Great story loved it, she there are some good people in LOS, this young man is a shining example. Reminded of a few years back when I drop 100 Baht near the University as I walk to buy a Bangkok Post, I pull 20 baht out of my pocket and the 100 baht drop to the sidewalk, two young ladies, University walking behind me saw it a happily return it with a smile, they to refuse a reward. Great kids

[waza]

I agree the average Thai person is friendly, eager to help and polite. The vast majority of the interactions I have had with Thai people have been positive and rewarding. The Occasional bad experience has been in tourist areas. However, I must admit that reading Thai Visa forum has darkened my opinion of thais.

Edited June 11, 2009 by waza

[JR Texas]

Great story loved it, she there are some good people in LOS, this young man is a shining example. Reminded of a few years back when I drop 100 Baht near the University as I walk to buy a Bangkok Post, I pull 20 baht out of my pocket and the 100 baht drop to the sidewalk, two young ladies, University walking behind me saw it a happily return it with a smile, they to refuse a reward. Great kids

Where I live there is a very old woman......she is sic, frail and mentally ill....she is alone and talks to herself......but two Thai families living by me visit her each day and give her food......others have given her blankets, firewood, etc.

[EnhancePlus]

I agree the average Thai person is friendly, eager to help and polite. The vast majority of the interactions I have had with Thai people have been positive and rewarding. The Occasional bad experience has been in tourist areas. However, I must admit that reading Thai Visa forum has darkened my opinion of thais.

Excellent story. Unfortunately for me I can get kinda jaded by reading TV also. The only negative experience I've ever had in LOS was a failed relationship. Other than that, I can't say enough good things about Siam.

Thanks for your contribution OP

[tangoll]

Always good to hear stories of honesty in Bangkok. I once left my wallet at Musashi Restaurant in MBK. Got home, realized wallet gone, called CC companies to cancel card, etc., then decided to backtrack in hope to try to find the wallet. Got back to Musashi and young lady cashier had the wallet for me. Said she did check inside the wallet, and saw my Bumrungrad Hospital card, and called the hospital to have them forward a message to me. Sure enough, just then a call came from Bumrungrad telling me that my wallet has been found and being held at restaurant. Later I wrote letters to Tourist Authority of Thailand and to MBK management office telling them of this good deed, but received no response or acknowledgment from either.

Restaurant is now no longer there.

Of course, I've also had reverse when my bag was stolen at Emporium, but nothing of real value in the bag. Emporium staff were helpful in taking details and driving me in their van to Thonglor police station so I could get a formal police report of loss to submit to insurance companies for claim.

[Pierrot]

A few month back, I parked my car in this big department store in Korat, went shopping, and on my way back found my car blocked by a pick up with its brake locked. That was really bad news, I had to pick up my wife, we were at more than 80km from home and already very late. Then I noticed this other shopper looking at me. He starts explaining me something. When he realises I couldn't understand, he tell me (sign language ) to wait, disapears for 2mn, come back with the parking attendant with a big hydraulic jack, make sure that everything is ok, apologize that he has to rush because he's already late and disappear.

One more positive experience in LOS !

[Gippy]

That's a nice story. In the past week I have had a couple of positive experiences in Bangkok. A couple of days ago I forgot my change after getting some food in KFC. The cashier came hunting through the seating area to find me and deliver my change, all of 1 baht. The day before that my bike stalled pulling out of my street and just refused to start again. It's a kick start and I was getting a bit hot and tired trying to get it started. A guy riding past with his daughter (I presume) stopped his bike and jumped up and down on the kick start until my bike was started and running nicely again.

[sanook2me]

My newish English bought £80 trainers were returned to me yesterday when i went back to my badminton sports centre, i had forgot them 2 weeks ago when changing back into my normal clothes.

Could have easily gone to market or someone else's feet.

[ukrules]

This is good luck. You just want to make sure they didn't clone your cards by keeping an eye on your bank transactions.

[longstebe]

More posts like this are needed.

We sometimes forget the nice things over here.

[gunnyd]

I agree the average Thai person is friendly, eager to help and polite. The vast majority of the interactions I have had with Thai people have been positive and rewarding. The Occasional bad experience has been in tourist areas. However, I must admit that reading Thai Visa forum has darkened my opinion of thais.

It's like they say: If you have a good experience/service you may tell one person if it is bad you tell EVERYBODY!

[bravingbangkok]

I have just had a morning of being laughed at and ripped off on no less then two occasions in the space of an hour.

I will not bother with the details but to am extremely please to hear the outcome of this story.

[IMA_FARANG]

With all the bad press we hear of scams and rip-offs, I was pleasantly surprised on my most recent visit to LOS . I've always stayed at the Opera Hotel , Pratunam on arrival in Bangkok and after checking in had a beer by the pool before going to my room.

After a 3 hour kip I realised I didn't have my wallet . Searched the room - no luck . Panic !! Debit card / credit card / Bt23k cash / driving licence. I went to reception to explain what I'd done when I heard a shout . A young Thai lad of about 20 had recognised the photo of my partner in the wallet he'd found by the pool, while cleaning, and seemed genuinely pleased to have tracked me down !!

He wouldn't accept 1000bt reward, so I arranged for him to get the evening off and we had a few beers and saw a cracking live band in town somewhere, with a couple of his mates.

Thanks to his honesty I got my wallet, my sanity, a couple of new buddies - oh and a hangover !!! Restored my faith in human nature for sure

I had something similar happen several years ago. I took a taxi to deliver several boxes of clothes to ship home. I also had my passport, I.D. cards, and about $300 dolars in cash in an envelope. When I got out of the car I put the envelope on the back seat until I took the boxes out. I then paid off the taxi with baht from my wallet. The taxi took off and I started the carrying the boxes into the building. suddenly i realised the envelope was still on the back seat of the taxi. I thought the taxi was long gone. I went to the local police statio, and repoted the loss of my passport and I.D. cards. While I was there an officer came in with the envelope with my passport , I.D.s, and my money in it. The taxi driver had seen it on the back seat, and turned it in to the police. I tried to give a reward to the taxi driver, but he refused. It seems he was a devout Buddhist, and he wouldn't accept the reward for what he felt was his duty anyhow. Amazing.

So, you see, it does occur.

[Datsun240Z]

I take back anything and everything negative I've ever said about Thailand, and human beings in general

..................

[gtm2k]

With all the bad press we hear of scams and rip-offs, I was pleasantly surprised on my most recent visit to LOS . I've always stayed at the Opera Hotel , Pratunam on arrival in Bangkok and after checking in had a beer by the pool before going to my room.

After a 3 hour kip I realised I didn't have my wallet . Searched the room - no luck . Panic !! Debit card / credit card / Bt23k cash / driving licence. I went to reception to explain what I'd done when I heard a shout . A young Thai lad of about 20 had recognised the photo of my partner in the wallet he'd found by the pool, while cleaning, and seemed genuinely pleased to have tracked me down !!

He wouldn't accept 1000bt reward, so I arranged for him to get the evening off and we had a few beers and saw a cracking live band in town somewhere, with a couple of his mates.

Thanks to his honesty I got my wallet, my sanity, a couple of new buddies - oh and a hangover !!! Restored my faith in human nature for sure

I have to admit that on three separate instances, i either left my wallet, forgot my phone and forgot my notebook at three difference restaurants (local street restaurants as well as the shiny ones). On all three occasions, i have been handed over my stuff by the staff.

So in my opinion - General, common, average thai's are not thugs (except for the taxi and tuk tuk drivers). The other place to get ripped is probably the street market at silom, those guys are certified rip-offs.

I would go with OP on this one, faith in human nature

[Mossfinn]

It's like they say: If you have a good experience/service you may tell one person if it is bad you tell EVERYBODY!

Yup, not sure of the exact ratio, but sentiments remain the same.

Just noticed your post count, a round 500, checked out the bottom of the forum lists yet?

[zorro1]

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Edited June 11, 2009 by zorro1

[Meridian007]

It's always nice to see when someone has an experience that contradicts negative stereotypes! People are people no matter where you go, there will always be good and bad, and we need to hear more of the good!

[ukrules]

It's always nice to see when someone has an experience that contradicts negative stereotypes! People are people no matter where you go, there will always be good and bad, and we need to hear more of the good!

All very well but I don't think I need to be forewarned so much about the good things.

[craighj]

Gee it's good to see some good news stories on TV for a change!

I've live and worked in LOS for two years now and had both good and bad experiences. But that is true of anywhere I've live before.

[bonobo]

There are good people everywhere in the world. And with the Thai concept of making merit, I am never surprised when confronted with honesty in Thailand. It happens all the time.

[MiG16]

very positive to read.

i ALWAYS return things I find too. and it has ranged from small almost no monetary value items, to cash

however, I sometime do wonder how much it would take to tempt someone? for instance, what if the amount I find is some 10million EUROS?

hmmmm

Im not a religious person. I just think if Im GONNA keep something I find, it has to be for a really really large amount that would afford me a luxurious lifestyle.

and that got me thinking - everyone's luxurious level is different, so does that mean everyone has a threshold at which point they might consider keeping the money found (different to outright stealing, but more the...not going out of your way to return it)

or is it simply that I have an evil side to me?

[bungy007]

More posts like this are needed.

We sometimes forget the nice things over here.

Thailand and Thai people have a lot of endearing qualities about them and that is why many of us stay as these so outweigh the negatives. I like the way that the cut and thrust of commuter life by bus can be sweetened when standing in the bus my bag is taken from me and held safely by a young lady who has the luxury of a seat. This would never happen in the West. I really do hope that these old customs remain apart of the culture

[SunSeek01]

I keep forgetting to tell this story, maybe partly in embarrisment. Last Feb. I was coming back from Phuket to BKK. I got in the airport with not alot of time to spare and I went to the wrong airline counter at first. I had changed my ticket 2 days before and forgot.

So I went the right counter (Bangkok Air) and when I got to BKK realized I had left and envelope with some ID and about $ 800.00 USD in in it. I had my passport thank goodness.

I called them, by this time it was late and their counter was closed in PKT. Anyway, in the end, they sent it up the next day to BKK APO.

I told the folks in PKT to keep 2000 baht and gave the ones in BKK 2000. All the money and everything else was there.

[CarlBkk]

My newish English bought £80 trainers were returned to me yesterday when i went back to my badminton sports centre, i had forgot them 2 weeks ago when changing back into my normal clothes.

Could have easily gone to market or someone else's feet.

You're lucky! Every single time I've left something in a sports centre in Bangkok it's been taken (sweaty shorts, t-shirt, shower gel, shampoo etc.). I was so amazed that it taught me to care more about my belongings. Now nothing goes missing :-)

Some positives:

carrying very big heavy bag up the steps at JJ I feel it got lighter...on the other end was a youngish guy who picked it up to help me without even asking.

Waiting on soi 39 for a taxi or minivan once at rush hour, a guy went by on a motorbike and guessed that I have been and would be waiting a while. He came back, speaking no English, gestured for me to get on and took me to the BTS without a word.

For a capital city, these two things alone are amazing positive experiences.

[edokhv]

Tons of positive experiences in Thailand for me and my friends; hence it always amazes me when I read a lot of negative posts here.

Some examples:

- the bike stalled in the middle of nowhere, a chap passing by saw that we were in trouble and just stopped to help; he did not speak any English, but hey sign language works pretty much everywhere

- we were late by a minute for a ferry, the ferry crew saw us running and pulled back in to get us on board

- my friend dropped 1,000 note in the taxi. the taxi driver came back to the condo to return it

I agree with all the posters that Thai people are part of the great experience and the reason why I keep coming to Thailand!

[dreidcs2]

Well, at the end we all complain about thais, but we still here because we do love them..right?

Right after i lost my business to my "ex gf", i found my self penniless in BKK, a young girl(that now is my gf) told her mother about my situation , so her mom send me 2000b thru her so i can eat for the the next few days while i was finding a solution,also sending me food, all without me asking and refusing to take the money back .

Til this day i have she has not allowed me to pay her back.

How can i not love thai people?, good ones make it up a lot for the bad ones..