A fortunate taxi driver in Thailand experienced a windfall when a passenger, whom he had transported to the airport, generously tipped him with 1,000 euros (approximately RM5,095) for a metered trip that amounted to 677 baht (RM87).
The cab driver, known as Chang Yim, shared his joy on the "รวมพลคนขับแท็กซี่(แห่งประเทศไทย)" (Taxi Drivers of Thailand) Facebook group on November 5, posting a picture of the two 500-euro bills the passenger had given him, along with the instruction to keep the change.
Chang's post quickly went viral, accumulating over 16,000 likes and 2,000 comments as of November 15.
Photo via Facebook (Chang Yim)
In a comment on the post, Chang provided additional details about the incident. According to a Thaiger report, the cabby picked up a foreign passenger who initially requested a drop-off at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. However, the passenger later realized a mix-up, as his flight was actually departing from Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The fastest route between the two airports spans a 45.2km journey, estimated to take 45 minutes. Despite the tight schedule, the passenger expressed concern about missing his flight and offered Chang a bonus if he could complete the trip in 30 minutes.
Upon successfully completing the journey, the passenger handed Chang two 500-euro bills (worth 37,600 baht) for the 677-baht trip. Notably, these bills are no longer in production, having ceased issuance by the European Central Bank in 2018.
While many celebrated Chang's unexpected fortune, some online users questioned the authenticity of the bills. Doubts arose regarding whether the discontinued notes could still be exchanged for Thai currency.
Chang addressed these concerns by posting a receipt on Facebook two days later, confirming that he had successfully converted the notes to 37,600 baht (approximately RM4,895). He reassured his audience that the money was indeed genuine, emphasizing that he had hesitated initially due to unfamiliarity with the notes and fear of potential scams.
In his November 5 post, Chang speculated that the passenger may have deemed the substantial tip worthwhile, considering the potential losses if he missed his flight due to business commitments.
