Not every taxi driver in Chiang Mai is a crook or scam artist… 3 weeks ago, First 30 minutes after a 26-hour flight from the states, I managed to drop my wallet with all credit cards, IDs and a sheet load of money as soon as I stepped out of a cab in the middle of the night at my hotel in Chiang Mai. By the time I walked inside the hotel and discovered it missing I looked back toward the entrance and there stood the taxi driver with a big smile on his face and my wallet!!!

In this world, some people can't help it being nice and honest, and some can't help it being bad,

nothing really to do with nationality...

Well he will not steal it for fear of karmal retribution.....

.....so the next best thing is to hand it back and wait for a big tip; with a big smile of course

Well he will not steal it for fear of karmal retribution.....

.....so the next best thing is to hand it back and wait for a big tip; with a big smile of course

Yes indeed, we're all livin' the dream here and being so well treated by the Thais because they want to avoid karmal retribution.

Incidentally, I think you've just coined a new word... "karmal".

A welcome alternative to "karmic".

It even slant-rhymes with carnal and might be used in some humorous doggerel verse or pastoral poesy celebrating our new home and the people we live among.

Well he will not steal it for fear of karmal retribution.....

.....so the next best thing is to hand it back and wait for a big tip; with a big smile of course

Yes indeed, we're all livin' the dream here and being so well treated by the Thais because they want to avoid karmal retribution.

Incidentally, I think you've just coined a new word... "karmal".

A welcome alternative to "karmic".

It even slant-rhymes with carnal and might be used in some humorous doggerel verse or pastoral poesy celebrating our new home and the people we live among.

yes, I couldnt get the word carnal out of my head, I thought, brilliant, Karma-l sounds about right; your obviously a better lexicographist than me.

Some people are always willing to believe the worst. They try to dress it up but easy to see through. I had the same thing happen to me and an hour later the tuk tuk driver brought it back. I had to force a reward on him. Another time I had left it in a restaurant with lot's of money and credit cards. They went through my whole wallet and found a card of the building where I live called them and described me to them. I retrieved it not a thing missing. Once again had to force the reward on them.

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people unwilling to think good things about the Thais. Think they are like them and have ulterior motives for being decent.