Fare play: Bangkok taxi driver bucks trend, returns 400,000 baht to passenger

A Bangkok taxi driver put the breaks on the capital’s bad boy cabbie reputation after he returned nearly 400,000 baht to a Bangladeshi passenger.

There’s not a day that goes by without a story breaking of one of Bangkok’s bad boy taxi drivers ripping off customers, refusing to service or turn on meters, brawling with passengers or even masturbating. One Bangkok taxi driver, however, went a long way to redeem others after he discovered a large wad of cash on the back seat and immediately contacted SWP.FM9 radio station to aid in returning the cash to its rightful owner.

On Saturday, August 19, the taxi driver, Phonsak Phunni, visited the SWP.FM91 radio station after discovering a long black wallet containing numerous identification cards, credit cards, and 105 US$100 bills, amounting to 10,500 dollars (373,490 baht). The wallet also contained 7,050 Indian rupees (3,000 baht). The wallet was suspected to have been left behind by three foreign male passengers who had travelled from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the Indra Emporium in Pratunam around 1pm that day.

Phonsak stated that after dropping off the passengers, he immediately picked up new ones from the same area. One of the new passengers handed him the wallet, leading him to believe it belonged to the three men who had just alighted.

“I was shocked and shaking. I didn’t dare to look inside completely.”

Phonsak quickly made a call to SWP.FM91, stating that he had found lost property and that it must be returned to its owner. He didn’t dare to keep it himself, given the large amount of money involved.

“I’ve been a taxi driver for over ten years, and I’ve always returned any lost items I’ve found, no matter how small. I never thought of keeping them.”

The wallet’s owner, Jahirul Islam (Munshi), a Bangladeshi man, expressed his gratitude towards Phonsak and the radio station.

“I’m very happy to have my money back. I want to thank FM91 Bangkok and the taxi driver, whom I’ll call brother. I’m very impressed and feel extremely happy.”

Dr Jaiton Sriwangpol, the Deputy Manager of Vilai Center and Sons Co., Ltd., along with Sakon Thawornkanchana, the Chief Executive Officer of the Organizational Communications Department of SWP.FM91 radio station served as witnesses during the handover of the cash and other belongings, which totalled almost 400,000 baht.