Bangkok taxi driver returns THB2 million to Indonesian tourists

[webfact]

Taxi driver returns THB2 million to Indonesian tourists
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A Bangkok taxi driver found USD60,000 under the back seat of his car and promptly returned it to police yesterday.

Sak Chaipong said he picked up three Indonesian tourists from Suvarnabhumi Airport and drove them to their hotel in Bang Rak district before receiving a call from the airport that his passengers were looking for a forgotten black bag in his car.

Sak then searched for the bag, which as he found contained the equivalent of THB2 million in cash he immediately handed over to police. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/11/06/taxi-driver-returns-thb2-million-indonesian-tourists


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-11-06

[siampolee]

Nice to actually see some bright spots in the Thai panorama nowadays, let's not tar all with the same brush.

[Tywais]

How does one possibly 'forget' they left $60k behind.

But yes, kudos to the driver.

[Prbkk]

The cynical in me says "when the going get tough bring on an honest cab driver story, good for deflection". On the other hand, he might just be a good chap.

[lee b]

Well done, hope his wishes come true for doing this

[CelticBhoy]

Not believing this one.

[Costas2008]

Good for the driver and Thai image, but can't stop thinking of what I could have done with the 2M Baht..........new car, may be......some furniture............or buy Mia Noi a condo......anyway......have to live my pension at the moment...............

[IamNoone88]

Good on him - well done. It would never happen in Phuket!

[Tatsujin]

mmmmm . . . find 2,000,000 THB, returns it to owners and gets 5,000 THB "reward" . . . I wonder if he'll bother next time . . . ?

It's great that he's honest and fair, but honestly, those "tourists" are taking the piss with that reward!

[thesetat2013]

There have been several related stories about honest taxi drivers in the news lately. Although it is good to see there are a couple of honest drivers out there, i think by always quoting if this happens in actuality makes me think they are trying to make the world forget about the hundreds of thousands of drivers that are crooks and would do the opposite of this chap.

[FireMedic]

You know the sad state of affairs when normal, moral, or ethical/professional acts are news worthy.

[ratcatcher]

mmmmm . . . find 2,000,000 THB, returns it to owners and gets 5,000 THB "reward" . . . I wonder if he'll bother next time . . . ?

It's great that he's honest and fair, but honestly, those "tourists" are taking the piss with that reward!

Absolutely spot on Tatsujin! A minimum reward for his honesty should have been B50,000.

Cheap bastards.

[zaphod reborn]

Isn't it illegal to bring that much cash into Thailand without declaring it at customs? If I were the Indonesians, I'd return on the next flight to Jakarta.

[BeforeTigers]

5k reward for returning 2 mill?
wow

And that concludes my argument against the concept of karma.

[Bluespunk]

The cynical in me says "when the going get tough bring on an honest cab driver story, good for deflection". On the other hand, he might just be a good chap.

Yep the cynic in me noticed that the bag was found after he got a call from the airport.

However if it was under the seat he wouldn't have noticed it.

[Bluespunk]

mmmmm . . . find 2,000,000 THB, returns it to owners and gets 5,000 THB "reward" . . . I wonder if he'll bother next time . . . ?

It's great that he's honest and fair, but honestly, those "tourists" are taking the piss with that reward!

Agree, though the money might not have been theirs.

2,000,000 baht is a lot of spending money.

[chainarong]

This type of headline will get you more tourists than any TAT idea , it is not necessary to carry on, as this all about service and honesty and the taxi driver did just that, well done, honesty is the best policy.

[Commerce]

No need for complete Thai bashing in this case. There are some honest taxi drivers, if not a lot, in my past experience.

[Fat Haggis]

I don't know any "tourists" who would be carrying that amount of serious money on them.

It's way more than the allowed amount for bringing in and taking out of the country too.

tourists? Or couriers?

[scavenger]

And all I've been asking for is change from a 100 baht bill...

Yes, there are honest Thais, and plenty of them. But I don't need the coconut propaganda. Considering this is a forum aimed at us rescued homeless farangs whose taste buds aren't refined enough no appreciate potato chips, why do we have to be exposed to all the coconut jingoist crap?

Edited November 6, 2014 by scavenger

[scavenger]

I don't know any "tourists" who would be carrying that amount of serious money on them.

It's way more than the allowed amount for bringing in and taking out of the country too.

tourists? Or couriers?

Wait, ypu'll soon see plenty of them soon...: in Thailand, they are known as "quality tourists." Edited November 6, 2014 by scavenger

[h90]

mmmmm . . . find 2,000,000 THB, returns it to owners and gets 5,000 THB "reward" . . . I wonder if he'll bother next time . . . ?

It's great that he's honest and fair, but honestly, those "tourists" are taking the piss with that reward!

Absolutely spot on Tatsujin! A minimum reward for his honesty should have been B50,000.

Cheap bastards.

10 % would be fair....OK 5 % would be still OK.

So 200.000 or 100.000.

5000 is cheap. If he takes out the money, hides it somewhere and even if they find him later he can claim he transported many customer and gave the car to cleaning as well. No one can find out if he took it.

[bkksteve123]

Who forgets 2 million baht in a taxi?

I guess they must have been some very wealthy tourists. If I had 2 million baht cash on me I would hold on to it very tightly and constantly check that it's with me, especially when leaving a taxi.

Anyway, very good of him to return the money, and nice with this type of news once in a while.

[jaltsc]

"...the tourists offered him THB5,000 cash..."

Under former Thai logical thinking concerning honesty, he would have received THB 10,000 if he had turned down a bribe of a lot less than THB 2 million. The bottom line is that honest people don't think about a reward and the rest will settle for whatever is the higher sum . Unfortunately the latter are more abundant than the former.

Edited November 6, 2014 by jaltsc

[ChrisY1]

I find this very hard to believe............

Can anyone really imagine many people, let alone a taxi driver, turn over Thb 2 million to the police?...........c'mon BP.......us elnglish news readers are only 1/2 stupid!

All these "returning money" tales from taxi drivers.....makes me think that TAT is involved??.....the minister is silly enough to go this way!

[ozsamurai]

There are some goods ones, but this is just bad luck for him is all. HE was unfortunate enough to be in the line and had his taxi number recorded at Swampy, so was able to be traced quickly and called out, at which stage he had not choice but to return it really. Unless blatantly lying then hiding 2mill in cash on him. Then he gets a measly 5K reward, insulting... What bag? What money? that's the correct answer.... if they are dumb enough to leave 60G in a taxi, ce la vie

Oz

[kmj]

Kudos to the driver, owners lucky cheapskates only 5000, if I was carrying 2mil it would be superglued to my hand...

[chooka]

Found it "Under" the back seat and returned it to the police. Wise man don't keep the BIB ' money.

[Bender]

these story are completely made up, only silly foreigner will believe in this...

For those who actually believe in this, you might have forgot you brain at the airport

[eddie61]

I am surprised the police didnt dip their sticky fingers in the honey pot