There Is Honesty In Thailand

[nonthaburial]

I suppose to be totally correct, this should be placed in the Samui forum, however after reading so many threads of cheats, scams and beggars etc etc in Thailand, I decided to place it here. Mods please move if you see fit.

To make it readable, I will concentrate on the facts, my Chinese wife and her close family of 12 decided that Samui would be the ideal place to celebrate the Chinese New Year, so hiring a mini bus, we arrived at our hotel courtesy of Seatrans Ferry Service.

Today we took the 8am ferry to the mainland, loaded her relatives in the the bus and off we went. We were almost halfway back to Bangkok when my wife had a call from a Thai male. Now my wife speaks very good Thai but he line was so bad she could not understand what was said, this person kept calling over and over again, in the end my wife got a little angry and asked me to pull into the next gas station, so as we could fill up our fuel and give her the time to call this guy back to see what it was all about.

We filled the fuel and, then when she went to pay, she could not find her purse, which had over 20k Baht in it plus 5 credit cards, international driving licenses etc.

I know she had her purse on the ferry, but it was now nowhere to be found, we then tried to put 2+2 together and she went to call this guy back hoping it was about her purse, before being able to do this, she had a call from the Credit Card Dept of Kasikorn Bank, telling her that her purse had been found on her seat on the ferry, the guy had tried to call her many times, but failing to inform my wife, he took the initiative to call the bank of one of her cards.

After finally getting a clear line to Seatrans, she was asked to describe what was in her wallet, including her Chinese ID card number which she did. After he was thoroughly satisfied he said that it was policy for the owner to claim the article in person. As we were past he halfway mark of our return journey, and that fact that her family were to return to China tomorrow, Seatrans offered to sent her wallet back complete by "special means" tomorrow to our Bangkok address. By the way, he found my wife's business cards in her purse, which gave him her number.

From our whole family, we thank Seatrans for their honesty, integrity and professionalism, and a message to the knockers on here, a lesson should be learnt

[rattler]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

[Dancealot]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

Do not forget this could also happen to you . And believe me this happens a lot more then you think. The world not such a bad place

[cornishcarlos]

I experienced that about 10 years ago on Koh Tao.

A friend left her purse in a restaurant, admittedly one that I used to eat at quite a lot, but we went back the next evening and the owner handed it to her.

Everything still inside...

Wouldn't have happened in Liverpool

[guzzi850m2]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

Do not forget this could also happen to you . And believe me this happens a lot more then you think. The world not such a bad place

I agree, heard a few stories about people forgetting things in taxi's from the airport to the hotel and they got them back.

rattler is one on the MANY negative types here on Thaivisa.

Thanks for sharing OP.

[nonthaburial]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

thanks for your input, with the number of posts that you are credited with, I must bow to your greater experience, as I am sure other posters in the thousand post range will also acknowledge.

[Dancealot]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

Do not forget this could also happen to you . And believe me this happens a lot more then you think. The world not such a bad place

I agree, heard a few stories about people forgetting things in taxi's from the airport to the hotel and they got them back.

rattler is one on the MANY negative types here on Thaivisa.

Thanks for sharing OP.

Very nice

[TomTao]

Thank you, its always refreshing to read a good news post.

Edit : Spelling

Edited February 10, 2013 by TomTao

[JusMe]

Quite a number of years ago, I spent a lot of time at a guest house in Kanchanaburi.

One afternoon, I noticed a small bag sitting on a table with no one around. Didn't think too much about it, until I saw it still there the next morning.

Late in the afternoon, more than 24 hours after I'd first seen it, I decided that it was either empty or perhaps there was some ID in it that I could turn to the guest house owner.

I picked it up and began opening it, when a falang came into the dining area and said, "Oh, that's where I left it. Thanks."

All that time, all those falang, all the Thai staff and the bag was still there. Sure, there's honesty around.

[billd766]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

The message is very simple. There are very many good people in Thailand and they are NOT FEW and FAR Between.

[nonthaburial]

Just an update, we had a call early this morning, purse has left Don Sak and expected in BKK early this evening and will be delivered tomorrow morning.

Now that is exceptional service, thanks again Seatrans

[ripstanley]

I filled the car with diesel. I asked for 2000 baht. I handed over my money. They were all 500 baht notes. The attendant promply handed back one 500 baht note. They were new notes and had stuck together. Great to have honesty in every day life.

[bartender100]

I think Thai's are among the more honest people in the world generally

[wayned]

I've dropped money on the ground and have people pick it up and give it to me, I've given too much when I paid for something , bills stuck together, and was given back the extra so there honest people. Today we went to the market and on the way home a motor bike roared up beside us. It was the pork vendor, he had forgotten to give my wife the 60 baht change that he owed her. One time I paid my electric at 7-11, it was a little over 3000 baht so I gave the clerk 4000. She gave me the change for the 4000 and also the 4000 back. When I showed her what she had done she was really surprised that I had told her an not just walked out! Not all people are dishonest, but, on the ther hand, they would think that there was nothing wrong with taking money from the local politician to buy their vote!

[Nowhereman60]

One day at an open air market in Bangkok I purchase some vegetables and left my wallet on the counter. I didn't know at the time where it was and looked all over for it. About two months later I was in the same market and someone ask me to go to her stand. She gave me my wallet with all my cards and money inside, I gave her a a big reward and notified the local radio station about her (with help from GF). There are many good people in this country.

[jvs]

My girlfriend forgot to put her wallet back in her purse after filling up the water bottles early one morning.

She came home,realized what she did not do and went back to the market.Her wallet was go and she came home crying.

There was only fifty baht in the wallet but all of her cards and some pics of me.

We went and got all of the cards replaced and i bought her a new wallet,she was happy again.

Two days later there was a plastic bag in the mailbox containing all of her cards and even some old business cards.

No wallet,no 50 baht and also my pictures where gone.

Honesty?

[phuturatica]

Hurrah for a good story!

It's nice to hear some good stuff happening in the world!

[ronniem]

Couple of years ago i Lost my wallet , while riding a motor bike on Phuket . The next day i was going to Bangkok .

Had my C/Cards about 3000 Baht and papers in it. I was lucky i had thai friends that lent me some money to get me by.

About 4 days later when in Bkk i received an envelope addressed to me at the hotel i was staying .

All my papers and C/Cards were in it But NO Money ..... At least i got my papers and Cards back .

They found the Card to where i was staying in Bkk and sent the envelope to me .

That lesson ( be more carerful with your wallet ) cost me 3000 Baht

Live and learn

[SteeleJoe]

In the last 30 years I've heard a LOT of these stories and even experienced a few firsthand.

Most recent was last year when I stupidly set my wallet down at a market stand while shifting some bags around and then dashed off - I was about to head out of town and was in a big rush: I'd just been to the bank to get some funds for travel and had 12,000 baht in it. When I realized my wallet was gone about 20 minutes later, I rushed back (sure there was no chance, but I had to do something). As I got within sight of the stand I saw one woman with what looked like my wallet in her hand looking around, concerned. A woman next to her was on the phone and as I walked up to them, my phone rang - she had found my card inside and was calling me...

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

Edited February 11, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[rene123]

Nonthaburial's nice story is a pleasant one to hear, but it does not surprise me in Thailand. There are many honest people here, but we just hear more of the negative stories. But, rattler was correct, the OP was VERY, VERY lucky. Finding something and stealing something are two different things altogether even though in this case there is a fine line between both. At what point do you take the time to hunt down the owner of a missing item?

[Rob8891]

How refreshing to read so many stories of honesty and kindness....but how sad too. It's sad that we have to justify the goodness that exists in Thailand, just as it exists everywhere, if only some people would open their minds to it.

One might be forgiven for thinking that there is more than a wee element of karma about many of these posts (and the negative ones that are all too rife)...what goes around all too frequently comes around maybe?

Thanks for the overwhelmingly positive stories.

[Dancealot]

How refreshing to read so many stories of honesty and kindness....but how sad too. It's sad that we have to justify the goodness that exists in Thailand, just as it exists everywhere, if only some people would open their minds to it.

One might be forgiven for thinking that there is more than a wee element of karma about many of these posts (and the negative ones that are all too rife)...what goes around all too frequently comes around maybe?

Thanks for the overwhelmingly positive stories.

Good point Rob. Is it really honesty from a good heart or is Karma the underlying motivation? If this is all about Karma i wouldn' t call all these good deeds purely altruistic.

I think Karma plays a large role in it.

[Trembly]

My girlfriend forgot to put her wallet back in her purse after filling up the water bottles early one morning.

She came home,realized what she did not do and went back to the market.Her wallet was go and she came home crying.

There was only fifty baht in the wallet but all of her cards and some pics of me.

We went and got all of the cards replaced and i bought her a new wallet,she was happy again.

Two days later there was a plastic bag in the mailbox containing all of her cards and even some old business cards.

No wallet,no 50 baht and also my pictures where gone.

Honesty?

Odd.

[SteeleJoe]

How refreshing to read so many stories of honesty and kindness....but how sad too. It's sad that we have to justify the goodness that exists in Thailand, just as it exists everywhere, if only some people would open their minds to it.

One might be forgiven for thinking that there is more than a wee element of karma about many of these posts (and the negative ones that are all too rife)...what goes around all too frequently comes around maybe?

Thanks for the overwhelmingly positive stories.

I see your point but I assure I was not at all trying to justify anything nor do I feel I "have to"; I got over that compulsion (to the extent that I ever had it) a very long time ago.

Just contributing to the topic. People can take from it what they will (or not).

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[nonthaburial]

Final report, purse with full contents delivered at 3pm today.

[rattler]

The message was simple, YOU WERE VERY LUCKY, there are some GOOD people out there but they appear FEW and FAR between.

thanks for your input, with the number of posts that you are credited with, I must bow to your greater experience, as I am sure other posters in the thousand post range will also acknowledge.

oh funny, number of posts = more cred eh?