Honest Taxi Driver returns 'lost' valuables to British Tourist in Pattaya

[scubascuba3]

It's hard to believe but I've met 1 or 2 honest taxi drivers in Bangkok, you know goes the quickest way. Good to see. I hope the guy gave the taxi driver a decent reward.

Who carries round a bag full of money anyway? Got how?

Where did it say the bag was full of money?

Can you read? Try the article:

"A 51 year old British Tourist was extremely grateful to a Bangkok Taxi Driver on Tuesday, when he returned a bag full of money"

[petercool]

OK, enough of the personal remarks. Stay on topic please.

petercool - moderator team

One troll post was removed

[Nielsk]

At first these stories were great. But my skeptical side takes over when I see one a week in the news. There must be an awful lot of brain dead tourists riding around in taxis these days. Makes you wonder how they were able to travel all the way to Thailand without mommy along.

You would be amazed at these people leave their brains back at the departure airport. It's not just here in Los but world over. People think they're invincible once they're at an airport.

Actually, traveling is very stressful. One is forced to think about every unfamiliar action and it's implication - which is not true in our daily lives - which are mostly on "autopilot."

I was very fortunate last week in Chiang Rai airport. I have 2 pieces of luggage. One is medium size and one is small enough for carry-on. I also have a shoulder bag, where I keep my cash and credit cards. I put all 3 items thru the X-ray machine upon entering the building. When I collected them on the other side of the body scanner, I grabbed both pieces of luggage, but forgot about the shoulder bag - thinking it inside the smaller carry-on piece. I proceeding to the waiting room. After 20 minutes or so, I opened the carry-on bag and noticed the shoulder bag was not there. I was gripped by panic immediately!

Just then I heard my name being called over the PA system. I jumped to my feet and scurried back to the main lobby and asked the security agent where I should report. She pointed to the info desk. I ran over there and saw 3 smiling flight attendants with my bag in front of them. I told them it was mine and showed them my passport. I then asked them how they knew the bag was mine. They explained that I had left a print-out from the hotel that I was staying at in Bangkok inside. My name was showing. I looked thru the bag and everything was there - including the pouch that contained all my valuables. I showed them the small envelope which contained (22) $100 bills. Their eyes got wide and their jaws dropped! I found a container with some Dove chocolates and gave one to each lady. They were happy for the treats and I was so grateful to get my bag back.

Another incident happened yesterday right in front on me. I was on board the Sun Cruise Line vessel at the Port of Manila - departing for Corregidor Island. An old lady had purchased something from the snack bar. She had dropped a folded up P1000 note. A stewardess found it and gave it to the clerk behind the counter. He then pointed at the old lady. Together they walked over to her and asked if it belonged to her. She checked her pockets and discovered that it was indeed gone. Wow- another good deed. It makes everyone happy to do good. It makes everyone who witnesses it happy as well. We wish all the bad people were gone and only the good, honest people remained. Maybe it will be so in heaven.

Nice and positive to read Your story.

[Whidbeyboy]

By the look on his face He doesn't seem to pleased about giving it back.

Ha, maybe he has a gun to his back we can't see. Seems to be a thing now, maybe an unreal thing to boost Thailand's image?

Just been cynical I guess.

[Nakajima]

another staged story, cannot trust anything anymore after knowing about 'I hate Thailand"

[thhMan]

Its an epidemic...

Im guessing its more made up crap....

[Pui]

Another carefully selected news story in the run up to high season.

[kurnell]

I have lost my marbles. Has anyone seen them?

[champers]

I agree this is a recurring story. It would make a good film - "The Honest Taxi Driver". Not with Robert de Niro in the lead role, perhaps. But who?

[maidee]

is it that time of the month again ....

[Strangebrew]

Well what do you think Brit's are not known for tipping. The cops looked pissed Oh well they know where he is staying Tomorrows story Brit falls off balcony police say suicide.

[how241]

Why no mention of the amount of money ?

Another report mentioned 100,000 baht. Unless it is a Hugh amount, that doesn't really change the story.

[ScotBkk]

For the doubters, things are left in taxis or on buses or elsewhere up to 20 times a day and reported at Soi 9 station.

Even the few successful finds and returns far outnumber the times a reporter is there to publicise it like in this case.

Nothing to do with TAT.

Can you give us link verifying those stats? Or at least the source of your information? Sounds like "hearsay" to me.

Sounds like Horse Manure to me too !!!!!

[Pattaya28]

The taxi driver "stopped to adjust his seats" as they do.

Wonder how far he got back to Bangkok before the alleged "seat adjustment" ?

[Pattaya28]

Ahhh. An honest taxi-driver.

Forget the numerous deaths in Thailand, now I going back to Thailand.

[Suradit69]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

By the look on his face He doesn't seem to pleased about giving it back.

Mr,Richardson maybe hasn't checked his belongings before this photo was taken,hence the look on the taxi drivers face,lol

At first these stories were great. But my skeptical side takes over when I see one a week in the news. There must be an awful lot of brain dead tourists riding around in taxis these days. Makes you wonder how they were able to travel all the way to Thailand without mommy along.

No reason to Thai bash, so just make stuff up and bash away. Eventually the moaning on Thai Visa definitely gets firmly into pathetic territory.

[smileydude]

Those with a glass half empty = meh, he was surely doing it for the reward as taxi drivers are not generally known for their honesty thus the disappointed expression on his face.

Those with a glass half full = kudos to him, he's just trying to do the right thing and his facial expression reflects the fact that he doesn't care for nor crave recognition.

[Suradit69]

why do they put lost in quotes? it implies something sinister or dishonest, yet i see nothing in the story to indicate that.

It's Pattaya One. They probably employ expat English teachers to proofread their work. Some of their stories are even worse than the content in the threads in the TV education forum posted by those same English teachers.

[Shiver]

I've had both positive and negative stories with Taxi drivers, and in my locale (Udon) they are invariably positive, since they all seem to know my face (even if I don't know them), though places where my face isn't known I'm treated as a tourist, and they are neutral to negative stories.

I guess you can choose which news outlet to get info, whether you want the fluffy happy stories, or the others that are not so positive. I opened a copy of Bangkok post that was left on a table last night, first time I've looked at in maybe 7 or 8 years. Each article I started to read just made me want to spew from the negativity angle they portray. I closed the thing and put it back where I found it. There wasn't even a story about a kitten being rescued from a tree at the end.

[balo]

Whats the matter with visiting foreigners today , I read the same stories every week, first of all they carry way too much cash with them instead of using an atm card like the rest of us would do. Secondly , forgetting the bag inside a taxi , how is that really possible, unless you're completely wasted.

[WillLangdon]

Honest Taxi Driver returns 'lost' valuables to British Tourist in Pattaya

The first time I heard a story like this...I believed it. The second time... I believed it.... the third? Getting suspicious...the fourth? C'Mon! TAT is at it again! Staging fake acts of honesty and kindness ... just like the "I hate Thailand" vid.

Well done TAT!

Another TAT rerun. Every year, same same.

It's fun to bash taxi drivers, and a majority deserve it, but there are some decent folks in the ranks.

It could be true I suppose. Who knows? The BS runs so deep here.

A Thai told me. "Everything is upside down in Thailand."

[mikecat]

Clearly its not only people catching taxis from the airport that have left their brains somewhere. All that needs to be said on this subject is Well done taxi driver. Simple really.

[Bignose]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

At first these stories were great. But my skeptical side takes over when I see one a week in the news. There must be an awful lot of brain dead tourists riding around in taxis these days. Makes you wonder how they were able to travel all the way to Thailand without mommy along.

You would be amazed at these people leave their brains back at the departure airport. It's not just here in Los but world over. People think they're invincible once they're at an airport.

Actually, traveling is very stressful. One is forced to think about every unfamiliar action and it's implication - which is not true in our daily lives - which are mostly on "autopilot."

I was very fortunate last week in Chiang Rai airport. I have 2 pieces of luggage. One is medium size and one is small enough for carry-on. I also have a shoulder bag, where I keep my cash and credit cards. I put all 3 items thru the X-ray machine upon entering the building. When I collected them on the other side of the body scanner, I grabbed both pieces of luggage, but forgot about the shoulder bag - thinking it inside the smaller carry-on piece. I proceeding to the waiting room. After 20 minutes or so, I opened the carry-on bag and noticed the shoulder bag was not there. I was gripped by panic immediately!

Just then I heard my name being called over the PA system. I jumped to my feet and scurried back to the main lobby and asked the security agent where I should report. She pointed to the info desk. I ran over there and saw 3 smiling flight attendants with my bag in front of them. I told them it was mine and showed them my passport. I then asked them how they knew the bag was mine. They explained that I had left a print-out from the hotel that I was staying at in Bangkok inside. My name was showing. I looked thru the bag and everything was there - including the pouch that contained all my valuables. I showed them the small envelope which contained (22) $100 bills. Their eyes got wide and their jaws dropped! I found a container with some Dove chocolates and gave one to each lady. They were happy for the treats and I was so grateful to get my bag back.

Another incident happened yesterday right in front on me. I was on board the Sun Cruise Line vessel at the Port of Manila - departing for Corregidor Island. An old lady had purchased something from the snack bar. She had dropped a folded up P1000 note. A stewardess found it and gave it to the clerk behind the counter. He then pointed at the old lady. Together they walked over to her and asked if it belonged to her. She checked her pockets and discovered that it was indeed gone. Wow- another good deed. It makes everyone happy to do good. It makes everyone who witnesses it happy as well. We wish all the bad people were gone and only the good, honest people remained. Maybe it will be so in heaven.

While I appreciate many people are not looking for, or expect a reward...

Please tell us all you gave them more than a Dove chocolate as reward for their honesty???

[petercool]

A post removed since it continues a dialogue discussed as off topic in a moderator comment earlier

[minikev]

Well done taxi driver. I hope he was compensated for the extra journey and time + a little extra for been an honest man.

I like these stories I have had loads of really nice chatty taxi drivers. In 17 yrs only one problem driver and it was a long time ago and so probably down to

miscommunication.

[WhamBam]

Those accusing people of leaving their brains behind when they get here etc., Often the tourist has been travelling for a long time. In a lot of cases for 24 hours. They are tired from lack of sleep and maybe not thinking straight. This is when incidents like this can occur.

What does surprise me is the amount of money in the bag. That I do find to be a stupid amount to carry in these circumstances.