Dropped my wallet getting into car from 7/11 in bueng kan province today. Within the space of 5 minutes returned and apparently some person of good will had taken it to the police station.

We went straight there and done up a police report but no one has handed in. My girlfriend wanted to go back and ask people if anyone knew the man and got the details of a number plate of a lopburi vehicle. We returned to police to state that we had a witness and the complete registration and possibly also cctv from the 7/11. Basically done all the 'hard work' for them. Stated that I'm not worried too much about the cash but I wanted my cards back as they are all overseas cards and wont get access to my funds.

Surely 5000baht plus is good enough incentive to investigate. Act quick enough and you might not have to split it at the next checkpoint.

Im sure they didn't even stop in at the 7/11 and I'm sure that I wont be seeing that money or my cards again.

Got about 100baht on me an half a tank to get me back to udon.

After my gf sells her gold I might make it back to Bangkok. Guess Il see if she makes the trip with me..

Couldn't they run a number plate or call ahead to stop a vehicle matching the description?

A lost or stolen farang wallet is rather low in their list of priorities to investigate, I suspect. Unfortunate for you, but that's the way it usually is here. If it was your car that was stolen, they might put out a watch for it, but it would probably need a bung to get them to act. Then if they did find it, they would require another bung to return it to you.

Over the years it has become apparent to me that the police is business and not a service.

I've lost a couple of wallets, both times they were returned, cards intact money gone. The first one I didn't get back to the next night and had already cancelled the cards. Got a new one the next day.

... Within the space of 5 minutes returned and apparently some person of good will had taken it to the police station.

We went straight there and done up a police report but no one has handed in. ...

Two assumptions here. One: The witness was telling the truth when they said someone else in a car has picked it up. Maybe the witness picked it up, took the cash and tossed it. Then sent you on the wild goose chase when you came back.

Two: The police saying it hadn't been handed in. Maybe it had and the police, seeing it was foreigner and probably out of province took the cash and tossed it.

Either way, it is gone and no amount of cash will get the local plod to track down a car just for a lost/stolen wallet. Doesn't even happen in the real world.

Solution, always carry your cash separately (I use a money clip) and always have an emergency stash and/or ATM card stashed somewhere secure.

... Within the space of 5 minutes returned and apparently some person of good will had taken it to the police station.

We went straight there and done up a police report but no one has handed in. ...

Two assumptions here. One: The witness was telling the truth when they said someone else in a car has picked it up. Maybe the witness picked it up, took the cash and tossed it. Then sent you on the wild goose chase when you came back.

Two: The police saying it hadn't been handed in. Maybe it had and the police, seeing it was foreigner and probably out of province took the cash and tossed it.

Either way, it is gone and no amount of cash will get the local plod to track down a car just for a lost/stolen wallet. Doesn't even happen in the real world.

Solution, always carry your cash separately (I use a money clip) and always have an emergency stash and/or ATM card stashed somewhere secure.

And carefully choose your girlfriends.......too many people are making too many problems.