Bangkok Cabbie Urged To Return Bt13M Worth Of Gold

[webfact]

Cabbie urged to return Bt13m worth of gold

The Nation

Pathum Thani

BANGKOK: -- The owner of a gold shop in Ubon Ratchathani alerted police yesterday saying that he had left gold ornaments worth Bt13 million in a taxi on Wednesday evening, police said yesterday.

Akekarat Kanokwannakorn, 60, said he had left the 540 baht weight of gold in a pink Toyota Altis taxi that he had flagged down on Bangkok's Worachak Road to travel to Si Mum Muang Market in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district. However, he said he could not remember the cab's licenceplate number.

Akekarat said he and wife, Surat, 58, had taken the gold ornaments to a shop in Bangkok's Yaowarat area to change the patterns.

Khu Khot police investigator Pol LtColonel Udom Sukprasert said the market's security camera had captured images of the cab the couple were riding in, but the licence number was not clear. He said it would be difficult to locate the cab, especially since there are some 20,000 pink taxis plying the streets in Greater Bangkok.

However, Udom said the cabbie should return the gold, because if he hung on to it, police would be able to gather enough evidence for an arrest warrant.

Police have been checking with other gold shops to see if any of them have bought ornaments according to Akekarat's description, while 20 taxi companies have been called upon to help locate the cabbie.

-- The Nation 2012-03-16

[JAG]

I don't expect he is working as a cab driver any longer!

[Buchholz]

[EyesWideOpen]

Gotta love the Thai police. First they say it will be almost impossible to find the guy. Then they say he had better turn himself in before they catch him. Actually with 13 million baht at stake, I suspect they actually are working hard to find him....... :-) Here is a tip for Thailand. Put an inexpensive GPS tracking device on every cab, with a central data center holding the data for perhaps a week. You would then know the position of every cab at every second. So issues like this one forgetting something, or where a cabbie has committed a crime, could be easily solved.

[JeremyBowskill]

hope the cabbie gets to keep it! Anyone who can leave 13 million baht in gold in the back of a taxi is firstly too stupid for their own good and secondly rich enough not to really miss it, i'm routing for the cabbie at least he will take his time blowing it all on wiskey, hookers and yabba.

[Microwave]

I once left the cash equivalent of $US 1500 in a brown bag in the back seat of a taxi in Manila. I was taking the money to deposit into my bank account when I was living and working in Manila. I had recently had an argument with my gf and my mind wasn't clear. After getting out of the taxi, I went to deposit the cash and realized I had left the cash in the taxi. About 10 minutes later the taxi driver returned to the bank and gave me all of my cash. I gave him some of the cash, but he refused it. He claimed that it was his religious duty to return the pesos to me and seemed just as relieved to see me at the bank as I was to see him.

I was very fortunate to have come across an honest cabbie, they do exist.

[jalansanitwong]

Why should we assume the cab driver has the gold ? If the bag was left in the back seat or on the floor he could drive around all day without knowing it was there.

It could of been found by a passenger.

[Jayman]

Why should we assume the cab driver has the gold ? If the bag was left in the back seat or on the floor he could drive around all day without knowing it was there.

It could of been found by a passenger.

Well, that would be my story anyway.

[Crushdepth]

I once left the cash equivalent of $US 1500 in a brown bag in the back seat of a taxi in Manila. I was taking the money to deposit into my bank account when I was living and working in Manila. I had recently had an argument with my gf and my mind wasn't clear. After getting out of the taxi, I went to deposit the cash and realized I had left the cash in the taxi. About 10 minutes later the taxi driver returned to the bank and gave me all of my cash. I gave him some of the cash, but he refused it. He claimed that it was his religious duty to return the pesos to me and seemed just as relieved to see me at the bank as I was to see him.

I was very fortunate to have come across an honest cabbie, they do exist.

Awesome :-)

[maidu]

Why should we assume the cab driver has the gold ? If the bag was left in the back seat or on the floor he could drive around all day without knowing it was there.

It could of been found by a passenger.

Well, that would be my story anyway.

that's what he will say when apprehended.

[nurofiend]

Yoink!

[keestha]

hope the cabbie gets to keep it! Anyone who can leave 13 million baht in gold in the back of a taxi is firstly too stupid for their own good and secondly rich enough not to really miss it, i'm routing for the cabbie at least he will take his time blowing it all on wiskey, hookers and yabba.

The lost item might not even be the gold shop owner's property. Besides that, being a businessman and owning expensive items doesn't necessarily mean being rich, bank debts might outweigh the value of assets. Also, buying and selling expensive items might only bring modest profits.

[Gone]

I just left $200,000.00 USD in a pizza shop in Pattaya last night. Can the police please tell the owner to return it?

[chrisinth]

Why should we assume the cab driver has the gold ? If the bag was left in the back seat or on the floor he could drive around all day without knowing it was there.

It could of been found by a passenger.

Could also be an insurance scam............

Edit: If it was, I would love to see the insurance claim!

Edited March 16, 2012 by chrisinth

[Jayman]

I just left $200,000.00 USD in a pizza shop in Pattaya last night. Can the police please tell the owner to return it?

WHAT!? Is that the same 200k I left in your house last week? You told me you never saw it. Guess I caught you in a lie. I'm taking a screen shot for evidence. You can expect the BIB to be coming by at any moment. Please let them know what pizza shop you left my money in so we can work on a speedy recovery.

[Cheops]

Why should we assume the cab driver has the gold ? If the bag was left in the back seat or on the floor he could drive around all day without knowing it was there.

It could of been found by a passenger.

Well, that would be my story anyway.

that's what he will say when apprehended.

Bingo! I think the gold has already been exchanged for cash in the meantime.

[noitom]

He may have driven around all day with other fares, and maybe one of them stumbled on the bag of gold. But, a big but here, the police need to produce a taxi driver here. Shouldn't be too difficult for the police and the taxi bosses to agree on a "culprit" for show. To prove that they are on the job and diligent and that the system is effective.

[Suradit69]

Akekarat Kanokwannakorn, 60, said he had left the 540 baht weight of gold in a pink Toyota Altis taxi

Don't you just hate it when that happens.

[RichardinBKK]

Note to self. When crossing town with the equivalent value of 178 years (working 7 days a week) worth of a Thai farm laborer's wages...ummm...focus just a bit, and hold onto it.

[chooka]

plea to the unknown taxi driver in one of the 100's of pink taxi's. If it's not to much trouble when you get a free moment could you please return my 14mil worth of gold to me, thank you.

I think thier best option is to make a theft report to the BIB and maybe offer a 1 mil reward.

[RichardinBKK]

Akekarat Kanokwannakorn, 60, said he had left the 540 baht weight of gold in a pink Toyota Altis taxi

Don't you just hate it when that happens.

Yeah really, did the same thing twice last month...I wrap a rubber band around my wrist now to remind me I have 13+ million on board. Hey, do you remember that time we left the bag of diamonds on top of the ATM machine?? LOL...good times. :-)

[belg]

and how or why did the man forget the gold in the cab? 5555555555555555555555555555555555555

one lucky taxi driver can start his own company now

[Swiss1960]

Why should we assume the cab driver has the gold ? If the bag was left in the back seat or on the floor he could drive around all day without knowing it was there.

It could of been found by a passenger.

Well, that would be my story anyway.

that's what he will say when apprehended.

Bingo! I think the gold has already been exchanged for cash in the meantime.

Exactly my thoughts... too many options

- gold never existed => insurance scam

- gold existed, owner sold it on black market => double insurance scam

- gold was left in taxy, driver found it, tries to sell on black market => theft (understandable from the taxi drivers point of view...)

- gold was left in taxy, another passenger found it and took it away => double theft (too bad for the taxi driver if they identify him, cause nobody will believe that story...)

so... speculatinos, speculations, speculations...

[finnomick1]

Gotta love the Thai police. First they say it will be almost impossible to find the guy. Then they say he had better turn himself in before they catch him. Actually with 13 million baht at stake, I suspect they actually are working hard to find him....... :-) Here is a tip for Thailand. Put an inexpensive GPS tracking device on every cab, with a central data center holding the data for perhaps a week. You would then know the position of every cab at every second. So issues like this one forgetting something, or where a cabbie has committed a crime, could be easily solved.

And if you ( or I ) were that cabbie, would you still be driving around in it when you discovered 13 million baht of gold left in the vehicle ? I'd dump it at the first possible opportunity and live in luxury for the rest of my natural.

[TexasRanger]

We only have this blokes word for it anyway, maybe he nicked it himself and pretended he left it in the cab to send the keystone cops on a wild goose chase (they rarely catch the goose).

[TexasRanger]

Much as I'd like the gold I couldn't sleep if I nicked it, I'd have to return it.

Whether that would be a guilty conscience or fear of getting caught........not sure.

[khaowong1]

"Sittin on the dock of the bay, wastin timmmme" :-) woohoo

[mks222]

Many years ago I lost a hand phone in a cab to Don Muang airport (it slipped off a belt clip - haven't used one since!). Noticed it after I left, borrowed a phone and rang my number. Cabbie couldn't speak English so I got someone from the office to talk to him. Anyhow he promised to return the phone.

I checked into my flight and then returned to the curb waiting with trepidation.

With just a few minutes before I had to go to the gate the cabbie showed up, gave me my phone and flattly refused any sort of money (finders fee or compensation for driving back to the airport)!

To this day I remind myself of this driver when I hear a story like this or come across a cabbie who refuses to switch on the meter.

People like that do exist!

[OzMick]

plea to the unknown taxi driver in one of the 100's of pink taxi's. If it's not to much trouble when you get a free moment could you please return my 14mil worth of gold to me, thank you.

I think thier best option is to make a theft report to the BIB and maybe offer a 1 mil reward.

I'll offer a B2 million reward if they return it to me.

[OzMick]

Much as I'd like the gold I couldn't sleep if I nicked it, I'd have to return it.

Whether that would be a guilty conscience or fear of getting caught........not sure.

Do you know how many sleeping pills (or partners) you could buy with B13 million. Half a dozen Changs and a shag and I sleep like a baby.