Honest Taxi Driver: Not All Thais Are Out to Rip Us Off

[Scumbag]

There are two messages in this story: not all Thais are dishonest and carrying a lot of cash from home is a risk.

 

Taxi driver returns half a million baht to Australian

 

A taxi driver returned lost dollars worth about 500,000 baht to his Australian passenger and a Vietnamese student was arrested for allegedly stealing a mobile phone at Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday.

 

Wimol Treepat, 62, of Nakhon Ratchasima province, returned A$20,000 (about 528,000 baht) to David Collinson, 59, at the Bangkok airport at 11.30pm Friday night.

 

Earlier, Mr Collinson flew from Australia to give the money to his Thai wife. Around noon, he hired Mr Wimol to drive him from the airport to the Mor Chit bus terminal. He realised he forgot the envelope containing the money in the taxi when he arrived home.

 

Mr Wimol said that after sending Mr Collinson, he picked up another passenger back to the airport and learned about the loss from officials. Then they checked inside his taxi and found the envelope under the left seat.

 

Mr Collison said he was glad and grateful for the discovery and the driver's honesty, and gave a reward to the taxi driver.

 

[Harry Brown]

Well done, good to hear a story such as this.

[hammerman]

If I read it correctly, the driver did not know about the money until it was found by officials.

He actually looks gutted, in that photo.

[Petesie]

Top Thai fella. 

[mmaaarrrkkk]

A lot more of these stories , mostly smaller items are unreported. Unfortunately only the bad news attract readers.

[noddyWA]

When I flew to Nepal in May I left my phone in the taxi, and was gutted, mostly because of important contacts and work stuff i needed while there. I'm standing outside the airport trying to work out how to contact him, my buddy had arranged taxi thru his hotel so we had no contact. 10 minutes later the driver came back and returned my phone! What a legend... Saved my ass

[electoff]

Yep I left a wallet with 5000 baht in it on my last trip.  The driver from Nams taxi Service delivered it the next morning.  

[Shaygate]

Yep I left a wallet with 5000 baht in it on my last trip. The driver from Nams Taxi Service delivered it the next morning.

That's nice to know, did you tell Nam? She likes to get feedback on her drivers, good feedback even more

[Encora]

Reminds me of a trip 10 yrs ago. Arrived in BKK after midnight, taxi to little hotel, Soi 22 I think. Dead end soi, taxi driver couldn't find it, so I said oK, I walk last 50 m. i wanted to get to SC before closing.

 

Paid, got out, dragged my wheeled bag to the little hotel (Dumsoda knows it well), checked in, dropped my bag in the room, and left on a motocy for SC about 1.00 AM.

 

On arrival in the bar with No Name, realised I left a small bag in the taxi, with my passport, all my credit cards, all my money except a few hundred baht in my trouser pocket, and my mobile phone.

Driver never arrived st hotel, so wouldn't know where.

 

Miid panic.

 

John, the farang owner, listened to my story, ordered me a double Sangsom, and called his Mamasan.

She asked "did you keep taxi chit?"

 

I fumbled in my pocket and found it.

 

She phoned the taxi company, talked to them, then hung up and said.

"driver gone home to sleep.

If tomorrow, he finds your bag, will bring to hotel."

 

I was skint, but the trusting bar owner (I was a regular) put my drinks on the tab for the night. When I found a lovely hot wench who wanted to sleep with me, I told her I have no money now. So she spoke with the mamasan, who explained, and said wench came home with me and fucked me senseless on credit.

 

9.00 AM next morning, reception called, taxi driver here.

 

Wench still asleep.

 

I went down, all contents of my bag intact.

Replacement would have cost me a lot of cash and endless headaches.

I gave him 1000 bt, he waied me.

 

Later thought too little...

Wench just woke up when I got back to the room, and helped me celebrate...

 

Most people here are very honest, many times where I forgot to wait fir change and people chased me outside tge shop to give it to me.

[Dumsoda]

Soi 18  LOL

 

Remember well the night we came back from Patpong (Radio City) Taxi driver took a brilliant route and bill was 76 baht.....I said to Miss P....I give good tip

 

I thought I gave him 120 bt....but inside the Bar Miss P said to me....why you give him 1020

 

WTF...why you not   tell me....

 

Response....you said you want to give good Tip....555555555555555

[crossfield]

Personal experience leaving a folder with 2000 AUD in it along with passport in the back of a taxi from Suvarnabhumi to the Indra Regent hotel. Had the driver running into the foyer to give it back to me before I had realised I had lost it. Gave him 100 dollar tip and felt cheap doing that as I wouldn't have had any hope of getting it back but for his honesty. On the other hand I've had more than I can remember try and rip me off you can get lucky though.