Wallet returned after bahtbus ride

[BuffHello]

The Ying and Yang of Pattaya

 

Dear Sir or Ma?am,

This is one of many stories of this great Kingdom of Thailand. One of many, but one I hope you print to give proper recognition to the trio of women I met on Saturday, 29 April 2006. And also to give recognition to the fact that the bad elements are still out there. I have heard various stories of the motorcycle thieves before, but only partially believed them.

In the early part of the afternoon, I decided to go into Pattaya to conduct some business (I live in Jomtien). I walked to the main road, and then hopped on the first baht-bus I saw. En-route to Pattaya, the baht-bus stopped and picked up three young adult females of Thai heritage. These three females were well dressed, but were engaged in a loud and boisterous conversation in the Thai language. I immediately disliked these three women because of their loud, boisterous conversation and ignored them on the ride into Pattaya.

Upon arrival at my first stop, I pressed the button on the baht-bus and it eventually stopped so I could get off. I paid the asked fee, and began walking to the postal center. After I few steps, I reached for my wallet and discovered it was missing! This can not be happening! I never forget my wallet, I thought. And there was no way someone stole it from me, as I did not sit next to anyone on the baht-bus. I was lost, dazed and confused. I looked back at the baht-bus I rode on, and quickly dismissed the idea of chasing it down to look for my wallet. No, I decided, I must have left it at home.

I then began my way back along Second Road to where two-way traffic begins so I could take a baht-bus back to Jomtien and search for my wallet at home. I thought of the consequences of a lost wallet in a foreign country. No passport, no drivers? license, no credit cards or ATM cards or debit cards. Nothing. This was a scary proposition.

Although partially disabled due to injuries from a suicide truck-bomb (compliments of Al-Qaeda), I was not using my cane that day and the worries about my wallets location caused me to walk faster than normal, but still not too fast as pains in my legs always slow me down. It was then I heard someone running up from behind me. What now, I thought as I turned around.

What I saw was one of the loud, boisterous young adult females come running up to me, with my wallet in her hand! I was instantly amazed, shocked, relieved and confused all at the same time. When she finally caught up to me, she slowed to a stop and was bent over and breathing hard from her run. When she caught her breath some, she handed me the wallet and explained that I left it on the baht-bus (it had apparently fallen out of my back pocket whilst I was sitting in the baht-bus). I immediately opened it up and looked for my money and credit cards and all essentials. It was all there! I immediately thanked her and pulled out a one thousand baht note and tried handing it to the young woman. She refused to take it.

When her two friends caught up with her, they, too refused payment for their good deed. I offered to buy them lunch or dinner. They refused. I thanked them again, we said our good-byes, and I departed to conduct my business in Pattaya.

We have all heard the adage, you cannot judge a book by its cover. So very true. I judged these women as loud and boisterous and quickly dismissed them, and it turned out they all had hearts of gold, and their good manners would have made their parents proud. At one point in our conversation, I asked for their names. The first to arrive was ?Ning?, the second was ?Joy? and the third was ?Pet?. If any of you three happen to read this, I again offer my humble thanks.

I quickly finished my business in Pattaya and began the trip to Jomtien in a baht-bus. Just after the intersection of Thepprasit Road in Jomtien (just past the Food-Mart), I noticed a motorcycle with two young Thai men as the riders. They stood out from the traffic jam we were in that day because the back passenger did not have a helmet on, and he had his head turned left, staring at a farang on a motorcycle. The motorcycle with the two Thai young men held a quick discussion, then moved dangerously close to the farang on the motorcycle. I thought this was odd conduct, so I continued to watch them. The Thai passenger on the one motorcycle then reached out and grabbed the farang by the collar. Then I noticed the farangs gold chain in the young Thai man?s hand, and realized this was a robbery in progress. I watched the farang grab the Thai persons hand and they began fighting over possession of the gold chain. I was about thirty to fifty feet away. The gold chain appeared very thick so it did not break when the Thai person first grabbed it, giving the farang time to grab the wrist of the Thai person to grapple over possession of the chain.

Since motorcycles ride on the side of the road while baht-buses are stuck in traffic, they quickly moved out of my view in the area of View Talay 2. It did not appear that the two Thai thieves were successful, but I couldn?t be sure due to the increased distance they were from me.

At about 1:30pm this day, I met the three young women with hearts of gold returning my wallet. At about 2:30pm on that very same day, I noticed two Thai men trying to steal gold. The Ying and Yang of Pattaya, and all were seen in just one hour.

These events made me question my luck or karma. The very next day, I attended Catholic Church mass for the first time in about seven years. I was very thankful that I met the women with hearts of gold, instead of the man with a handful of someone else?s gold.

Respectfully Submitted,

Gary L. C.

 

pattayamail.com letters

[Bangkoktraveler]

Great story!

 

I am disabled. Sometimes can not walk. I sometimes wonder what to do if I am attacked? Last year I was attacked. Injured some.

 

I must agree about the Ying and Yang.

[colorwolf]

I've dated a Ying, never a Yang...I wonder what'll happen to me now...

[dddave]

Three years ago, I arrived in bangkok, jet lagged from the flight fron the US and started checking into my hotel; when I reached for my wallet, it wasn't there. Not only did the wallet hold my passport, it also contained a very large sum of money. As I was standing there, stunned and about to have a breakdown, I felt a tap on my shoulder: it was my cab driver, who upon finding the wallet had turned around and driven back to the hotel to return it, not one dollar was missing.

 

He was reluctant to accept the reward I offered, but I insisted; it would have been about a years earnings for him.

[WorldFun]

WTF buffhallo - a link at the end this time

[kamui]

After all the crime reports in the recent months, it's good to have some positive stories. Here is mine:

 

I had a similar experience on first trip to LOS four years ago. On my second day I went to see the reclining Buddha in Wat Po. On arrival at the wat the guy in an official looking brown uniform outside the gate who told me that Wat Po was closed and who offered me a Tuk-Tuk ride to a 'better' location confirmed all warnings in my Lonely Plant guide about scams in Thailand. Still jet lagged and not used to the heat I took a rest on a bench outside the temple and went in a few minutes later. Fascinated by the golden Buddha I wanted to take some pictures and I realized that I left my two weeks old digicam on the bench in front of the building. While I hurried outside all stories about scams, rip offs, pickpockets e.g. went through my mind of course. But at the bench sat a young couple next to my digicam, waiting for the owner.