How to recover something left in a Bangkok taxi. In 2018, more than 40,000 items were reported to have been left in Bangkok taxis.
According to Bangkok traffic and information site JS100, the most common items that people left in taxis in 2018 were:
- Smartphones
- Wallets
- Handbags
- Luggage
- Shopping bags
But what should you do if you leave something in a Bangkok taxi?
You should start by reporting to JS100 either via their call centre on 1137 or on social media via their Facebook and Twitter pages.
When reporting your lost item, you should of course try and provide as much information as possible including:
The type or colour of taxi
Registration (if possible)
Date, time and destination
Details about your lost item(s) Name of driver (if possible)
Even if you can only provide some of this information, you should still report your lost item.
The Lost and Found section of the JS100 website lists all the cases of foreigners leaving items in the back of taxis.
Like the Chinese tourist who left their gold iPhone X after being dropped off at the Holiday Inn Silom at 3am on Dec 30.
Or the French national who left his bag containing ID cards and 1,000 baht in cash in a pink taxi from the Ratchada Pavilion Condo on Saturday night.
The site, which is frequently checked by taxi drivers, also details the times cabbies have returned items to passengers, such as Mr Narongchai Chansomboon who returned a bag containing up to 10 baht’s worth of gold to a passenger on December 28.
JS100, via Sanook News, also shared some tips on how avoid leaving your stuff in taxis.
Keep hold of your smartphone and avoid putting it on the seat next to you
Make sure your wallet is securely placed in your pocket so it won’t fall out!
Keep hold of your handbag, don’t place it on the floor or on the seat next to you
If possible, avoid placing items in the trunk. You’re more likely to remember them if they are next to you.
Use the front seat to store luggage.
Always check the back seat before leaving the taxi.
