Honest Pattaya taxi driver returns laptop and passport to Korean tourist

[webfact]

Honest Pattaya Taxi Driver returns laptop and passport to Korean Tourist



PATTAYA: -- Khun Pasat aged 52 has been declared one of Pattaya’s most honest Taxi Drivers after he returned a Laptop Computer and personal documents to a Korean Tourists who had earlier hired the taxi in North Pattaya.

Two Koreans were picked-up by the Taxi at the North Pattaya Bus Terminal and were taken to the Pullman Aisawan Hotel in Soi Wongamat.

At the end of Khun Pasat’s shift, he returned the Taxi to his company’s compound and while cleaning the vehicle he saw the bag containing the laptop computer and two expired passports belonging to one of the Korean passengers, on the back seat.

Full story: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/101643/honest-pattaya-taxi-driver-returns-laptop-passport-korean-tourist/


-- Pattaya One 2013-09-06

[chooka]

Good news story.

[abhaya]

Generally speaking it’s a sad state of affairs when someone does what would just be considered the normal right thing to in normal circumstances makes the news.

[laurentbkk]

Does it mean on one honest taxi driver .... 10 are not ? its very normal to return goods that dont belong to you ..... well in some places at least .

[jeff2258]

Does it mean on one honest taxi driver .... 10 are not ? its very normal to return goods that dont belong to you ..... well in some places at least .

It is hard to find a an honest taxi driver now days. I have lost my luggage on a taxi in BKK. The bellboy at the hotel placed my luggage infront on the passenger seat and when I got down, I totally forgotten about it. I was travelling from the hotel to Mochit bus terminal and when I notice I have forgotten my luggage, I went out to search for the taxi and it is gone. This happen just around 2 minute and I believe the driver should have notice my luggage beside him. Anyway the travelling bag is old and fills with underwear, dirty shirts and a pair of old shoe. Maybe he can sell for a few buck

[GAZZPA]

Nice to see, but is it really news? It being deemed as newsworthy demonstrates a lot about the expectations of peoples honesty (or lack of) particulalry as this man has been labeled "Thailands most honest taxi driver". I can recall at least 3 instances back home where I have stumbled across a handbag and 2 mobile phones which i returned to their owners. Would this make me the most honest person in Thailand? So, nice guy for doing this, don't want to take anything away from him just want to say that this is generally normal behaviour for most decent people.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Ok pattaya bashers...chime in with 200 replies on how awful the place is and how all Thais hate foreigners and are out to cheat and or kill them..like you did with the drunken Thai man stabs a Brit news!

[delgarcon]

So, the taxi driver is not a thief. Nor am I but I don't make the newspapers. As some of you have said, it's a sorry state of affairs when normal decency and honesty makes headlines.

[canman]

Ok pattaya bashers...chime in with 200 replies on how awful the place is and how all Thais hate foreigners and are out to cheat and or kill them..like you did with the drunken Thai man stabs a Brit news!

No doubt thay will be along soon enough

[Tatsujin]

Well, nice to see something positive for once and well done to the taxi driver. Wish the other 99.9% weren't complete <deleted>.

However, as others have stated, this "should" be common practice if you're an honest person, and the fact that it's a big news story just shows how low Thailand is falling.

[Tatsujin]

Ok pattaya bashers...chime in with 200 replies on how awful the place is and how all Thais hate foreigners and are out to cheat and or kill them..like you did with the drunken Thai man stabs a Brit news!

But . . . but . . . they do! And it is!

[NoBrainer]

I never let anyone put my luggage on the front seat. Happened to me once on a late night ride from Don Muang to Sukhumvit, the taxi driver unzipped my suitcase and pulled 4 or 5 items out of the bag while he was driving.

He must have fumbled around and grabbed only electronic feeling things, because when I got to my hotel I was missing my Braun Razor, and on further checking, a small laptop and camera and a few other items were gone as well.

It was a short flight from Phuket and I did not check my luggage in, just used carry on.

After discussing this with someone at the hotel I was told that this was happening a lot. This was about 9 years ago, but it taught me a lesson. Never put your belongings on the front seat of the taxi.

[fakename]

So, he returned two expired passports and a laptop, that maybe would have brought him more trouble than money. If he is the most honest taxi driver in Thailand, what are the others? He was doing jut what he is supposed to do.

Now, a real story would be that someone found a bag with 700,000 baht in it, and turned it in to the police. After that, the bag was "lost", and none of the police knew the police man that took the bag! That is honesty for you!

[lostmebike]

Good man!

Just cos most are blood-sucking leeches down there, doesn't mean all are

[chooka]

Ok pattaya bashers...chime in with 200 replies on how awful the place is and how all Thais hate foreigners and are out to cheat and or kill them..like you did with the drunken Thai man stabs a Brit news!

A little different to someone bashing, stabbing or robbing someone. There does seem to be more bad stories than good ones. This actually makes front page news because it is so rare. How's that, is that what you are asking for? Glad to be of assistance and get the ball rolling for you.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Ok pattaya bashers...chime in with 200 replies on how awful the place is and how all Thais hate foreigners and are out to cheat and or kill them..like you did with the drunken Thai man stabs a Brit news!

A little different to someone bashing, stabbing or robbing someone. There does seem to be more bad stories than good ones. This actually makes front page news because it is so rare. How's that, is that what you are asking for? Glad to be of assistance and get the ball rolling for you.

I see similar taxi driver Good Samaritan stories once in a while in the news...also bad stories too. The point being Thailand, like anywhere, has good and bad people. But likely like in the western media...the bad stories make better copy than the good ones..." If it bleeds it leads."

[Globeman]

Generally speaking it’s a sad state of affairs when someone does what would just be considered the normal right thing to in normal circumstances makes the news.

Yes, it is like confirming that the normal sane thing that anyone would do would be to keep the laptop, unless one felt compelled to be a very special hero like this chap. So in a sense, such a story encourages such theft by acknowledging that it is what most people would do.

[JoeThePoster]

That's settled then - not a big demand for Korean keyboard laptops in Pattaya.

[banglassie]

I had a similar experience. Lost my guitar and a bag in a cab in bkk. I did however remember the color of the car as well as the number on the yellow plate inside it (which I usually always take a photo of when entering).

Worth to notice is that it was about 17:00 and the traffic jam was terrible in Phra Nakhon. However while we where about to call to the office suddenly a taxi honked on us from far stuck in traffic, and my stuff returned. At that point we had been trying to call for about 20-30 mins already. Considering bkk taxi drivers unwillingness to enter any zone of traffic jam I was quite surprised to see him return. There will always be good guys among the bad.

I must say my experiences with taxis are far worse in Manila/Makati than in Bkk. And by far worse I really mean worse.. I've never in my life experienced a city so full of scams and thieves.. Glad I never have to return there..

Edited September 6, 2013 by banglassie

[Basil B]

Nothing new, I have had on two occasions Thai taxi drivers return property to me.

[gtm2k]

there should be something like a "gold" colored plate for such taxi drivers .... as they surely will be in demand !

there are plenty of them around ... but you just dont get to see them unless a specific "event" gets reported !

[LennyW]

I had a similar experience. Lost my guitar and a bag in a cab in bkk. I did however remember the color of the car as well as the number on the yellow plate inside it (which I usually always take a photo of when entering).

Worth to notice is that it was about 17:00 and the traffic jam was terrible in Phra Nakhon. However while we where about to call to the office suddenly a taxi honked on us from far stuck in traffic, and my stuff returned. At that point we had been trying to call for about 20-30 mins already. Considering bkk taxi drivers unwillingness to enter any zone of traffic jam I was quite surprised to see him return. There will always be good guys among the bad.

I must say my experiences with taxis are far worse in Manila/Makati than in Bkk. And by far worse I really mean worse.. I've never in my life experienced a city so full of scams and thieves.. Glad I never have to return there..

You lost a guitar in a taxi???? you should not be let out without adult supervision!

[Benmart]

It is of interest to see a positive story turned into an outpouring of criticism. "No good deed goes unpunished" seems to be the mantra of some of the posters.

It may not be headline news, but I would imagine the man who lost his possessions was happy to have them returned and the driver appreciative of the recognition.

Returning lost items is certainly the correct thing to do, but in a world chock full of greed and dishonesty, this story is well taken by this reader.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Benmart

[petercool]

There is a lost and found tray at Soi 9 police station that is always overflowing with passports, bankbooks, wallets, credit cards etc. that attests to the honesty of locals who have turned these items into the station. I admit there is no money nor large items there but somehow people seem to do the right thing with regard to what is there. I wonder how much is turned in at some other countries' police stations.

[Mudcrab]

Why would the tourists have two expired passports??

[chrisinth]

As someone stated earlier, deeds like this really shouldn't make the news which I for one would agree.

And on that point perhaps this happens more often than most would imagine...............

I have met the good and also met the bad.

[NomadJoe]

So, the taxi driver is not a thief. Nor am I but I don't make the newspapers. As some of you have said, it's a sorry state of affairs when normal decency and honesty makes headlines.

Yep. I know the intention is otherwise, but these stories make Thailand taxi drivers look terribly bad.

[HerbalEd]

So, the taxi driver is not a thief. Nor am I but I don't make the newspapers. As some of you have said, it's a sorry state of affairs when normal decency and honesty makes headlines.

I agree. However, when there's a story about a bad taxi driver many on this site are every so happy to go into a Thai bashing mode ... and I've never seen anyone complain that those stories shouldn't be here. Seems like they delight in the bad-taxi-driver stories, but then complain about the good-taxi-driver stories. Go figure.

[KuhnPaen]

It's sending the message to all the other Pattaya taxi drivers that read Pattaya One news that if they are honest, they will get their photo in the newspaper--which they can make a copy of and put on their dashboard next to the ominous visage of Lord Rahu as he devours the sun.

[lee b]

Give that man a medal,he deserves one!