Honesty and kindness

[Encore]

This is a goodnews message, and a thank you to those who helped me.

 

I arrived late last night at Suvannapoum. Joined a taxi queue, and ten minutes later was on my way to my hotel. On various board recommendations, this time i booked Town Lodge Soi 18, through the good services of Thaihoteldiscounts, sponsor of the accomodation section of this board.

Got to Soi 18 just before midnight. I was very tired, and had forgotten instructions. no hotel!

Driver went up and down, turned at the end towards soi 20, asked, no Tao Loge.

Drove back and up again, at the corner of the dogleg turning to Soi 20, asked a few guys loitering at the little narrow dead end that goes straight. Nobody heard of Tao Loge. Peered from the cab at the signs in the little dead end, No Tao loge. Asked at various stops along the soi 18, massage parlours, a couple of small hotels, nobody knew.

 

Twice up and down the Soi, now midnight. I got tired of it, hot, irritated and tired. I decided to leave the cab, go to my favourite bar in SC and ask someone there. Maybe go internet, look up the site again.

 

Paid the driver, collected my light luggage, reminded myself to find an ATM, because after paying him I just had 30 BT left, and climbed the stairs at the start of Soi 18 to cross Sukhumvit. At the other end, I looked around for an ATM, then realised I left my small black bag with all my creditcards and document (except passport, which at immigration I stuck in my breast pocket), on the back seat of the taxi.

 

Panic stations. This was like a bad dream! cannot find hotel, midnight in BKK, no money, no cards, Thai SIM card still in black bag.

 

So in a state of shock, I trundled my bag on wheels down SC, and entered Cactus, to great amusement of three semi naked girls at the entrance, who laughed at my wheeled bag and computer satchel. Close to the bar, the manager, Khun John, saying something like 'this man looks like he needs a drink'.

 

Did I ever. After my first Mekong Coke went down the hatch, and another was on the way, I told him my story.

 

"Do you have the airport taxi chit?"

 

I have received probably over a hundred over the past few years, and usually they go into the hotel rubbish bin. But i hadn't reached my hotel yet, so i found it next to my passport in my pocket. Khun John handed it to a mamasan, and told her to make some calls.

I decided that all i could do was wait, so had another drink, and was soon joined by a slightly chubby lady with a warm smile. Since I was charging a bar account with no money in my pocket anyway, I offered her a drink.

To cut a long story short, at closing time (Nice dancing to some Siriporn Ampuaipong molam) the mamasan said " no answer, i try again in the morning'

 

Khun john had explained where Town lodge really was (at the end of that tiny dead end bit of Soi 18, with minimal signage), and I decided to press my luck with Ms Chubby.

 

I told her I had no money, but hoped to have some either tomorrow or Monday - Tuesday ( if my cards didn't turn up and I had to cancel and replace them, the earliest I could expect $$ was Tuesday with some luck) .

I asked her if she would trust me to pay her later, and I offered her an astronomical 2500 Bt LT for the risk. I never went with her before, but had frequently taken another one of this bar, and visited often enough for Ms Chubby to remember my face. She said 'don't worry'. i then cajoled mamasan into giving me credit until later and putting the BF on the bill too. signed a chit with my name and passport number.

 

Wanted to walk to the end of Soi 18, but Ms C said 'Taxi'.

 

"Mai dai, Mai mee Ngun" (cannot, no $$$).

 

"mai pen rai, i pay" she said.

 

Heart of gold.

 

Got to Town Lodge, room prepaid, but couldn't show credit card, so had to tell the story. Then the receptionist spent time on the phone, to taxi Company, left message, to driver (phone off), to mamasan, giving my hotel PH No. and room No.

 

2.20 am, got to room. I was very pleased to have company, would have been rather miserable alone, but must admit that the stress led to some hydraulic failure, so just cuddled up to Ms Chubby and went to sleep. Made up for it in the morning.

 

Ms C left, i showered and went down to the lobby, hoping breakfast was included in room rate, since my 30 Bt would have to last for some time. Showed my key at reception, and told the day staff my plight.

"Oh, Khun Ikkrang, why you not pick up phone?'

What phone?

 

Phone in room.

 

The room did not have a phone!

 

"Sorry, will bring phone'

 

Who phoned me?

 

"lady phoned'

 

mamasan had phoned the hotel, to tell me she located the driver and the bag, and he was on his way.

hallelujah!

 

Bag intact, including cards.

 

Driver got 1000Bt tip, reception will get some, and mamasan will get one tonight.

 

Lessons:

 

Print out hotel location instructions from website.

 

Do NOT discard taxi chit you receive at airport.

 

Put at least one Credit card in different bag, and one in safe pocket.

Keep Passport in safe pocket rather then in document bag.

 

Pull baht out of ATM on arrival, and keep in safe pocket.

 

Make sure there is at least one bar where you have a Jaidee reputation.

 

My sincere thanks to an honest cabby, Khun John and his staff, and my P4P companion with the heart of gold.

[Mekong]

Nice Heart Warming Story.

 

Happy it all worked out for you.

 

 

[bust]

I love happy endings :grin:

[Nervous_Dog]

Good news indeed, funny you should post this, yesterday my mum who is 82 came home from getting some trousers made in Aree - a bit of distance to our new place, realised as taxi pulledd up she'd left three new trousers behing.

 

Wife takes her back to aree, goes to the last two places she was at, walks in Staff exclai in joy, they have the bag waiting for mum if she ever came back.

 

Generally, I find Thais more honest than most other countries I've been too, including taxi drivers (twice I've left large amount of Baht in a taxi only to have driver hunt ME down!)

 

DOG

[buddha]

A great ending indeed. Your ability to overcome can be summed up in one sentence:

 

"Since I was charging a bar account with no money in my pocket anyway, I offered her a drink."

 

You have a great attitude and that is how you put yourself in the right situation to overcome.

[Encore]

Actually, I hope that by saying that i haven't pissed off Khun John, who doesn't really like publicity.

 

I'm sure if I would only have visited there once or twice, I would have had the phone help, but no bar tab. But I have spent quite a lot of money there over the past few years, in drinks, LDs, BF's and tips including all these 20 Baht tips.......

( Not as much as Tiger of course, but still, a fair bit)

 

In fact, my regular (well, regular out of my stable of half a dozen) has been privatised, and works as welcome girl/serving girl now, not dancing anymore. I saw her outside and said

"Hi, tilac, I was wondering where you are, why do you have clothes on?"

Then saw a bloke next to her, and KJ discreetly mumbles to me that she's now a kept woman.

Another one bites the dust, I'll have to do some hard work in the upcoming few days, to restock.

[sanddawg1]

Good story; hope things go the same for me if I'm ever in this situation!

[ChristianTroy]

I am glad things worked out, must be an exhausting day!

[Solomick]

Excellent story and a great ending, funny how a mekong and coke can ease the worry..

Good tip about taxi chit, I will have to remember that one.

[sayjann]

nice story and glad all turned out well for you..........

 

agree that it is good to have a Bar where you are known and have a good reputation.

on occasion i have found that i didn't have enough cash to pay the drinks bill and Barfine.

credit was extended until the next Day i visited.

remember once the cashier was worried about my inability to pay and after speaking to the owner she smiled and let me go.

the owner (a fellow Englishman) knew i was good for the money and told her so.

i paid the tab 4 Days later when i returned after a few Days out of town.