An honest Bangkok taxi driver was on May 24 given more than Bt10,000 cash as a reward for returning a forgotten handbag with cash equaling over Bt300,000 to the owner and her Norwegian husband.
Thongyoo Sardboonsang was early in the morning on June 24 hired by Norwegian Willie Pardan and his Thai wife Ploy from Don Muang Airport to Soi Nana on Sukhumvit Road. From there Thongyoo was hired further by Ploy to Chaiyaphum Province at the price of Bt2,700.
On the way returning to Bangkok after sending his passenger, the taxi driver noticed that the passenger had forgotten her handbag in his car. He then contacted Taxi Radio in Bangkok, asking for coordination to get the bag back to its owner. Ploy at the same time realized that she had forgotten her bag on the taxi, and asked for the help from Bangkok roadside assistance network ‘Ruam Duay Chuay Gan’ radio station to help contact the taxi driver.
With the coordination of the two radio networks, Thongyoo and Willie met the same day at Wang Thonglang Police station in Bangkok where the handbag containing Bt268,190 and NOK 7,500 cash, a digital camera and many important papers was returned to Willie and witnessed by Pol.Lt. Col. Songtham Srikanjana, a police detective of the police station. After examining that all the cash and belongings were still in the bag, Willie gave Bt10,000 plus NOK 200 to Thongyoo as a reward for his honesty.
As a taxi driver, Thongyoo earns an average of Bt300–400 a day after Bt460 rent for the taxi, Thongyoo said, adding that he is now closer to owning his own taxi.
Obviously glad that her money was returned, Ploy said she planned to use the money to paying off debts and to buy a piece of land to build a house for her mother.