Japanese visitor gets bag full of cash back from Bangkok cab


Featured image source: Thaivisa

BANGKOK (AP) — A Bangkok taxi driver says he didn't know what was in the green backpack a Japanese customer left behind in the trunk of his cab, but he knew what he had to do — hand it over to police.

When he did, Thanakrit Hengniran learned that inside were 16 fancy T-shirts, a Macintosh computer and 800,000 yen ($7,800) in cash.

Thanakrit, 40, said he had no regrets about handing over the bag to the Tourist Police, who returned it Thursday to its owner, 29-year-old Keishi Kobayashi, who is in the garment business.

"I'm happy that he's OK and didn't lose anything, that it made him feel good about Thailand and Thai people," said Thanakrit. "We have discipline, just like the people in his own country."

For his good deed, Thanakrit received a 5,000 baht ($140) reward from Kobayashi, who lost the backpack on June 24.

Already scrambling to make ends meet, Bangkok taxi drivers are facing increasing competition from motorbikes and services such as Uber. However, good Samaritan stories involving taxi drivers are not unusual, said Deputy Superintendent Pramote Chanboonkaew of Bangkok's Bukkalo Police Station, where cabbie, customer and backpack were reunited.

He said the lost and found process is not entirely dependent upon honesty. Surveillance videos often can be analyzed by police to see what taxi was involved, just as they can be used for other investigations, he said.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-07-01

Isn't it protocol that these stories always follow a bad taxi story? Something like when that taxi driver went bonkers with a sword, did I miss another nut case off his t1ts on yaba doing something demented?

A lot of tourists leaving bags of cash in taxis. I've never carried a bag of cash around before, but if I had to, I'd have the strap tied around my arm. That thing ain't leaving my sight.

Good on him.

10,000 would have been more appropriate considering the amount.

Things are going array and strange with taxi drivers being too honest all of a sudden in this country,

we get to hear more and more of drivers returning lost cash to forgetful passengers, in any case,

it is refreshing and surprising to see this trend...... kudos, and keep it up.....

Is true, 5.000 THB is a mall reward considering the amount of cash returned

But is also true it took the taxi driver a week to return it.

Good story anyway

Why would anyone carry almost $8000 around with them? For me this story just does not sound true.

In all fairness to the taxi drivers I got a taxi yesterday. The guy was unbelievable. He stopped at zebra crossings to let people cross, he checked his mirror and indicated before pulling out.

For a while I thought it was a dream but no he was just an excellent driver.

PS I was already awake, I know I checked

Isn't it protocol that these stories always follow a bad taxi story? Something like when that taxi driver went bonkers with a sword, did I miss another nut case off his t1ts on yaba doing something demented?

One assaulted a woman last week.

Made sexual advances.

Offered her drugs.

Edited July 1, 201610 yr by Bluespunk

Since a bowl of noodles are about, what 500yen, that's 1600 bowls of noodles in Tokyo and 10 x that many in Thailand or 16,000 bowls of noodles.

Boy, he sure was hungry, wink wink, nod nod, say no more, eh?

baw hoo? it was Thai baht? yeah, at home we don't need to carry bags of cash around... so it's easy to forget what is in that bag and not your wallet.... it's amazing that this is a post on Thaivisa because, for instance, even after more than 10 years here, I am still knocked back a bit every time I pay for a haircut. isn't anyone else? where are you from? Compton? helloooooo? Thai baht must be carried in large bags unless all you are doing that day is..... getting a haircut. a real one. it's easy to forget that bag in the taxi. no mystery here.

Edited July 1, 201610 yr by maewang99

In all fairness to the taxi drivers I got a taxi yesterday. The guy was unbelievable. He stopped at zebra crossings to let people cross, he checked his mirror and indicated before pulling out.

For a while I thought it was a dream but no he was just an excellent driver.

PS I was already awake, I know I checked

It was probably my wife's uncle, drove years as a private chauffeur for a BKK bigwig and now is a cabbie. He even gets out of the car to open the door on occasion, force of habit.

In all fairness to the taxi drivers I got a taxi yesterday. The guy was unbelievable. He stopped at zebra crossings to let people cross, he checked his mirror and indicated before pulling out.

For a while I thought it was a dream but no he was just an excellent driver.

PS I was already awake, I know I checked

It was probably my wife's uncle, drove years as a private chauffeur for a BKK bigwig and now is a cabbie. He even gets out of the car to open the door on occasion, force of habit.

Whoever he was he was in the minority. I did tell him when I got out of the taxi that he was a very good driver and gave him a little more of a tip than I normally do

Good on him.

10,000 would have been more appropriate considering the amount.

I think 5000 Baht is ok. In Germany if you leave your bag in a taxi the driver gets actually nothing. Its the same if you leave your bag at a restaurant. Their is no finders fee for that in Germany.

If you do find a bag in Germany with lets say 5000 Euros inside you will report it to police and they will keep it for one year. If no one reports it lost after one year you get the bag back with the money. If someone reports it lost the finders fee is 10% or 500 Euros.

Isn't it protocol that these stories always follow a bad taxi story? Something like when that taxi driver went bonkers with a sword, did I miss another nut case off his t1ts on yaba doing something demented?

Similar tales appear on or near the first day of each month.

Edited July 1, 201610 yr by evadgib

How does anybody leave a $1500 dollar computer, $8000 in cash in a taxi? It's not like it fell out of his pocket by accident, that stuff sits on your lap, held onto tightly.

A taxi diver once returned my phone to my condo after I left it in his vehicle whilst a bit drunk, so not to say it doesn't happen, but I have difficulty believing these 'bags of money' stories.

Is it this time of the month, again?!

Isn't it protocol that these stories always follow a bad taxi story? Something like when that taxi driver went bonkers with a sword, did I miss another nut case off his t1ts on yaba doing something demented?

It's a protocol too whatever the positiveness of the story it is followed by a negative comment by a TV member

Why would anyone carry almost $8000 around with them? For me this story just does not sound true.

Let me guess...But if the cab would have stolen the money it probably would have

Why would anyone carry almost $8000 around with them? For me this story just does not sound true.

Let me guess...But if the cab would have stolen the money it probably would have

You cynicism is duly noted

Why would anyone carry almost $8000 around with them? For me this story just does not sound true.

Let me guess...But if the cab would have stolen the money it probably would have

You cynicism is duly noted

Cynicism! You think so ? Sorry then. Just did my best to be in harmony with the twenty or so positive answers to this OP

Isn't it protocol that these stories always follow a bad taxi story? Something like when that taxi driver went bonkers with a sword, did I miss another nut case off his t1ts on yaba doing something demented?

Yea, a taxi driver molested a girl and offered her drugs and a romp in a short time hotel. Caught on video.

These stories always follow bad ones.

Wasn't he the lawyer from the usual suspects?

A little historical perspective -- up till the 1980s or so Bangkok taxi drivers were a pretty rough lot. A lot of them drove like maniacs and had all kinds of ways of cheating passengers. Anything you left in a cab was likely gone forever.

It's hugely better these days Most seem like decent people, basically trying to do a good job. So stories like this don't surprise me at all. I suppose the knee-jerk cynicism is supposed to sound knowledgeable. In this case, for the great majority of drivers, it's just plain wrong.

Isn't it protocol that these stories always follow a bad taxi story? Something like when that taxi driver went bonkers with a sword, did I miss another nut case off his t1ts on yaba doing something demented?

Some taxi driver just got caught for groping a customer. this atones for that, no harm, no foul.

Good on him.

10,000 would have been more appropriate considering the amount.

I think 5000 Baht is ok. In Germany if you leave your bag in a taxi the driver gets actually nothing. Its the same if you leave your bag at a restaurant. Their is no finders fee for that in Germany.

If you do find a bag in Germany with lets say 5000 Euros inside you will report it to police and they will keep it for one year. If no one reports it lost after one year you get the bag back with the money. If someone reports it lost the finders fee is 10% or 500 Euros.

In Japan where the customer is from no reward is offered or expected. It is considered one's duty to return things like this.

Is it this time of the month, again?!

Yeah My wife had her period too

Good on him.

10,000 would have been more appropriate considering the amount.

I think 5000 Baht is ok. In Germany if you leave your bag in a taxi the driver gets actually nothing. Its the same if you leave your bag at a restaurant. Their is no finders fee for that in Germany.

If you do find a bag in Germany with lets say 5000 Euros inside you will report it to police and they will keep it for one year. If no one reports it lost after one year you get the bag back with the money. If someone reports it lost the finders fee is 10% or 500 Euros.

Japan and Germany are the two places I would feel confident about having it returned. Maybe Singapore. It would be a bit hit or miss in other places.

A little historical perspective -- up till the 1980s or so Bangkok taxi drivers were a pretty rough lot. A lot of them drove like maniacs and had all kinds of ways of cheating passengers. Anything you left in a cab was likely gone forever.

It's hugely better these days Most seem like decent people, basically trying to do a good job. So stories like this don't surprise me at all. I suppose the knee-jerk cynicism is supposed to sound knowledgeable. In this case, for the great majority of drivers, it's just plain wrong.

You hit it spot on. I remember the 80's when their were no meters or the meters were not used and they speeded like hell.

A lot has changed in the last 10-15 years. Often was stucked at Villa Market around Soi 33-35 and I had to waive a 100 Baht note when trying to stop a taxi.

Good on him.

10,000 would have been more appropriate considering the amount.

I think 5000 Baht is ok. In Germany if you leave your bag in a taxi the driver gets actually nothing. Its the same if you leave your bag at a restaurant. Their is no finders fee for that in Germany.

If you do find a bag in Germany with lets say 5000 Euros inside you will report it to police and they will keep it for one year. If no one reports it lost after one year you get the bag back with the money. If someone reports it lost the finders fee is 10% or 500 Euros.

Japan and Germany are the two places I would feel confident about having it returned. Maybe Singapore. It would be a bit hit or miss in other places.

In Germany each driver makes sure you have nothing left on the seat. Singapore I would also feel confident and I found Singapore taxi drivers to be very polite.