Taxi driver returns Bt140m in cheques

A Bangkok taxi driver yesterday returned three cashier's cheques worth a combined Bt140 million that three Japanese passengers had left behind in his cab, saying he never wanted to take a "short cut" to riches.

Suthep Kasak, 41, drove businessmen Yee Deng, Ho Mick Kindshita and Aki Okuda from the Emerald Hotel in the Ratchada area to Soi Thaniya on Surawongse Road on Thursday, but they forgot a file containing the cheques when they got out of his taxi.

The three men reported the loss at Bang Rak police station and asked the Sor Wor Por 91 radio station to locate the taxi. Suthep called the radio station shortly afterwards and said he would return the file and cheques to the passengers at the radio station at 11am yesterday.

The file's owner, Kindshita, thanked Suthep for his honesty and rewarded him with Bt3,000 in cash before the group went on to Suvarnabhumi Airport to catch a flight back to Japan.

Suthep said he was excited to have something as valuable as the cheques in his hands, although it was later explained to him that only the named beneficiaries could have cashed them.

"I usually send whatever my passengers leave behind to the Sor Wor Por 91 radio station ... because I know the owners would be in trouble," he said, adding that he was proud of his action.

Despite his financial situation - renting the vehicle for Bt16,000 a month and having a wife and three children upcountry to support - Suthep said he never wanted to take a short cut to become rich or neglect his duty to return what passengers leave behind.

He urged other taxi drivers to do good deeds, and avoid temptation and greed.

The Nation

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