Honest Phuket taxi driver returns Australian tourist's iPhone

[webfact]

Honest Phuket taxi driver returns Australian tourist's iPhone
Claire Connell


Ms White with the taxi driver who returned her iPhone.

PHUKET: -- Australian tourist Lynn White was very thankful to get her iPhone returned to her by an honest taxi driver, after she left it in his car.

Ms White is on holiday from Hong Kong visiting her daughter Kim, who lives in Phuket.

When the airport taxi driver dropped her off at Nai Harn on Tuesday night (April 15), she realised she had left her phone in his car. She called several times from a Hong Kong cellphone, before using a local number. The taxi driver called her back and he dropped her phone off to her the next day.

Ms White didn’t get the man’s name, but said she was “absolutely” grateful to him.

“The taxi driver was very polite and very gracious. He remembered where he dropped us off. I was really pleased. It’s got photos and my contacts on it, and I haven’t backed it up in ages. I thought I’d lost it all.

“You hear horror stories and I had given up and resigned myself to it.”

When he returned the phone, Ms White gave the driver B1,000 as a reward.

“He was very shy to take it. He did take it because I insisted, but he wasn’t in it for the reward.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/honest-phuket-taxi-driver-returns-australian-tourist%E2%80%99s-iphone-45727.php


-- Phuket News 2014-04-17

[steelepulse]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

[MMarlow]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

It's not a headline, it's just a report of interest to some people.

[stevenl]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

Wow, you try to make this into something negative.

[NamKangMan]

When I read the headline, I thought it may have been a "metered airport taxi" thinking to myself, he can't be too honest, he doesn't use the meter.

Anyway, I think an honest Thai on Phuket is somewhat news worthy, especially in the land transport industry.

Edited April 17, 2014 by NamKangMan

[steelepulse]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

Wow, you try to make this into something negative.

Wow, you certainly do.

[delgarcon]

Yes, I suppose an honest taxi driver in Phuket is newsworthy!

I'm not particularly patriotic, but in the UK, where I come from, honesty doesn't make the news as it's quite the norm.

[FiestyFarang]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

Not just bad news is news, well done ED for printing this. Hopefully other taxi drivers will search their goodness and also give back lost items.

[John_Betong]

Same-same to a friend of mine yesterday. He also gave 1,000 Baht. He lives in Seri, Bangkok.

[WoopyDoo]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

It's because of their reputation, we are going through a campaign of many of these stories being fed to the press to wallpaper over it. I have lost count of the similar stories over the past couple of months.

[NamKangMan]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

Not just bad news is news, well done ED for printing this. Hopefully other taxi drivers will search their goodness and also give back lost items.

"Hopefully other taxi drivers will search their goodness and also give back lost items." - I'd settle for just an honest price for a ride somewhere.

[glitteratzzi]

I think this is fantastic and bravo for sharing!!! my iPhone dropped out of my back pocket at the night market in udon and a kid ran up to me and gave it back... I think iPhones are like gold to these people (because of how expensive they actually are and I notice only the rich kids have iPhones) and if I had dropped it in America...I would have never seen it again!! and every American has an iphone!! (ok I'm exaggerating but seriously... people there keep stuff they find...very rarely will someone return a valuable in the states...just sayin)

[empireboy]

Encouraging positive behaviours when they are NOT the norm is good for EVERYONE.... why do some bitter cynical Farang here not see that? Oh.... maybe they're just seeing their reflection!?

[NamKangMan]

Encouraging positive behaviours when they are NOT the norm is good for EVERYONE.... why do some bitter cynical Farang here not see that? Oh.... maybe they're just seeing their reflection!?

"maybe they're just seeing their reflection!" - maybe they just know propaganda when they see it.

I have added the definition of propaganda for your benefit.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/propaganda

In layman's terms, the taxis rob everyone blind with their fares, and then give back one lost phone, which makes the media, and everyone is supposed to have confidence in the industry - it's propaganda.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Troll post removed.

[soalbundy]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

Hey,don't knock a good deed,Thais are usually bashed here (and i am no exception) so praise where praise is due

[soalbundy]

Yes, I suppose an honest taxi driver in Phuket is newsworthy!

I'm not particularly patriotic, but in the UK, where I come from, honesty doesn't make the news as it's quite the norm.

I read English newspapers as well, what was that television series called now....ah yes, 'rip of Britain'.

[HerbalEd]

Why is this even a headline? Things like this happen every day all around the world. Oh wait, I forgot, we need positive coverage of this ilk after all their misdeeds that are well documented.

If indeed most (all?) taxi drivers are scoundrels, then a story about an honest one is indeed newsworthy.

Actually, many on tv.com actually seem happy to see negative articles about taxi drivers ... for sure they definitely seem to get pleasure by going on and on about it ... so I can see where they would be cynical about a positive story for a change. Of course, some people are never happy, and don't want to be.

[bangarang]

Im guessing it was password protected and the driver thought it would be too much effort to hack in to it.

[HerbalEd]

Im guessing it was password protected and the driver thought it would be too much effort to hack in to it.

Yeah, that's the ticket. There's no way he could possibly be honest.

[HerbalEd]

Yes, I suppose an honest taxi driver in Phuket is newsworthy!

I'm not particularly patriotic, but in the UK, where I come from, honesty doesn't make the news as it's quite the norm.

Probably not an iPhone, but I'd bet when a London cabbie returns a customers forgotten briefcase containing 10K pounds it makes the news.

[thrilled]

I had A songthew driver at Koh Phangan return my phone after it fell out of my pocket.Naturally I gave him A good reward for getting it back to me.

[HerbalEd]

Encouraging positive behaviours when they are NOT the norm is good for EVERYONE.... why do some bitter cynical Farang here not see that? Oh.... maybe they're just seeing their reflection!?

"maybe they're just seeing their reflection!" - maybe they just know propaganda when they see it.

I have added the definition of propaganda for your benefit.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/propaganda

In layman's terms, the taxis rob everyone blind with their fares, and then give back one lost phone, which makes the media, and everyone is supposed to have confidence in the industry - it's propaganda.

Maybe it's you. I take taxis in Thailand constantly and have done so thousands of times over the past thirty years. Sure I've had some bad experiences, but very few considering how many times I've been in Thai taxis. It's far far from 'every driver' is bad, and 'every customer' is cheated 'every time.'

You gotta be careful with words like 'all' .. 'always' .. 'never' .. 'everyone'.. etc. If you want to be believed and not dismissed as a ranter, then presenting your opinion or argument with accurate, plausible statements gives you far more credence than exaggerated hyperbole.

Edited April 17, 2014 by HerbalEd

[NamKangMan]

Encouraging positive behaviours when they are NOT the norm is good for EVERYONE.... why do some bitter cynical Farang here not see that? Oh.... maybe they're just seeing their reflection!?

"maybe they're just seeing their reflection!" - maybe they just know propaganda when they see it.

I have added the definition of propaganda for your benefit.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/propaganda

In layman's terms, the taxis rob everyone blind with their fares, and then give back one lost phone, which makes the media, and everyone is supposed to have confidence in the industry - it's propaganda.

Maybe it's you. I take taxis in Thailand constantly and have done so thousands of times over the past thirty years. Sure I've had some bad experiences, but very few considering how many times I've been in Thai taxis. It's far far from 'every driver' is bad, and 'every customer' is cheated 'every time.'

You gotta be careful with words like 'all' .. 'always' .. 'never' .. 'everyone'.. etc. If you want to be believed and not dismissed as a ranter, then presenting your opinion or argument with accurate, plausible statements gives you far more credence than exaggerated hyperbole.

This is Phuket, not Thailand. Phuket is a different country to Thailand.

[HerbalEd]

Encouraging positive behaviours when they are NOT the norm is good for EVERYONE.... why do some bitter cynical Farang here not see that? Oh.... maybe they're just seeing their reflection!?

"maybe they're just seeing their reflection!" - maybe they just know propaganda when they see it.

I have added the definition of propaganda for your benefit.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/propaganda

In layman's terms, the taxis rob everyone blind with their fares, and then give back one lost phone, which makes the media, and everyone is supposed to have confidence in the industry - it's propaganda.

Maybe it's you. I take taxis in Thailand constantly and have done so thousands of times over the past thirty years. Sure I've had some bad experiences, but very few considering how many times I've been in Thai taxis. It's far far from 'every driver' is bad, and 'every customer' is cheated 'every time.'

You gotta be careful with words like 'all' .. 'always' .. 'never' .. 'everyone'.. etc. If you want to be believed and not dismissed as a ranter, then presenting your opinion or argument with accurate, plausible statements gives you far more credence than exaggerated hyperbole.

This is Phuket, not Thailand. Phuket is a different country to Thailand.

I've been to Phuket many times, and yes the taxi drivers are worse, and are getting more. I know there are honest taxi drivers in Phuket, because I've experienced many of them. However, I think maybe those good taxi drivers may now feel threatened by the taxi mafia to the extent that at the airport where the bad drivers are now refusing to use meters, the good guys dare not use their meters in fear of retaliation.

Edited April 17, 2014 by HerbalEd

[anotheruser]

1,000 Baht? He shouldn't have bothered. Wonder how far out of his way he had to go to collect it?

[Jimi007]

iPhones are trackable. He was smart to give it back...

[kurnell]

I understand that this seems to happen regularly, a tourist leaves something in a taxi and the taxi driver returns it, but who calls the press? Does the reporter enjoy this sort of assignment?

[anotheruser]

iPhones are trackable. He was smart to give it back...

Not if they are turned off they aren't. He did the right thing obviously, I just thought 1,000 baht was a bit stingy.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[lee b]

Great to hear, Also thanks to all the cabbies who have returned ME to my rightful home many times in the past