Turkish hitchhiker praises Thai locals for aid on Chiang Mai trip
A Turkish hitchhiker expressed gratitude to Thai locals who assisted him with transportation costs to Chiang Mai after he spent six hours attempting to hitchhike.
The man, a YouTuber, is travelling the world to learn about different cultures. The incident gained attention when a photo of the Turkish tourist, who was in Rangsit at the time, was shared online.
The person who shared the image, 46 year old Ronrong Phetcharoen explained that he first noticed the foreigner with a large backpack attempting to hitch a ride at around 10am.
By early afternoon, the traveller was still there, with no one stopping to offer him help.
Concerned, Ronrong approached the man, offering water and asking about his destination.
The traveller, named Deniz, revealed that he was trying to get to Chiang Mai, but no one had stopped to help.
Ronrong suggested that simply using a thumb hitchhike gesture might not be effective, prompting a Good Samaritan to write a sign for Deniz reading, “Need a ride to Chiang Mai.”
By 4pm, Deniz was still at the same spot trying to hitchhike. The news reached a local Rangsit news page, leading to coordination with a driver to pick him up.
They managed to assist him in purchasing a bus ticket and offered him local snacks such as khanom jeen and noodles, reported KhaoSod.
The travel expenses to Chiang Mai were covered by a Rangsit news page admin. Ronrong was keen to prevent any negative backlash, stressing that Deniz intended to learn about Thai culture, not rely on financial assistance.
Upon safely arriving in Chiang Mai, Deniz took to social media to express his appreciation.
“Hello everyone, first of all, I want to thank everyone who helped and supported me. I waited for about six hours to hitch a ride, and the people here were so kind to assist me.
“One man even brought me water, while another wrote my destination on a sign. In the end, someone picked me up, treated me to delicious Thai food, and bought me a bus ticket. I will never forget your kindness.”
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