CHIANG RAI — A 58-year-old woman earned widespread praise Wednesday after discovering 50,000 baht in cash on a public roadside and immediately turning it over to local authorities. Mrs. Fongchan Khammona found the bundle of bills near the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) in Chiang Saen District around 10:00 a.m. and contacted police to ensure the money reached its rightful owner.
Fongchan, a resident of Sob Kham village, was traveling near the BAAC branch when she spotted a significant sum of money lying on the ground. Rather than keeping the find, she took the cash directly to the Chiang Saen Police Station in Chiang Rai.
Pol. Lt. Col. Supakorn Thanusorn, an inquiry officer at the station, accepted the funds and officially recorded the incident. “Ms. Fongchan demonstrated great integrity by bringing this money to us immediately,” the officer noted during the reporting process.
The Search for the Owner in Chiang Rai
The 50,000 baht, consisting of 1,000-baht notes, appeared to have been recently withdrawn or prepared for a transaction. Authorities began reviewing local surveillance footage and bank records to identify who might have dropped the cash in such a high-traffic area.
The FM91 Traffic Police Radio reported that the police were successful in their search. Shortly after the report was filed, the owner was identified and summoned to the station to verify their identity and claim the lost property.
The story quickly gained traction on social media, with locals hailing Fongchan as a role model for the community. Many noted that 50,000 baht is a life-changing amount of money for many families in the region, making her decision to return it even more significant.
“I didn’t think about keeping it for myself,” Fongchan told local reporters. “I only thought about how worried the person who lost it must be. That money belongs to them, not me.”
District officials emphasized that such acts of selflessness help strengthen the social fabric of Chiang Saen. They encouraged citizens to follow Fongchan’s example of civic duty and honesty.
Steps to Take if You Find Lost Property
Police remind the public of the proper legal procedures when finding lost items or cash:
- Report the find: Take the item to the nearest police station as soon as possible.
- Documentation: Ensure the police create an official daily record or “lost and found” report.
- Avoid self-distribution: Do not attempt to find the owner via social media without involving authorities, as this can lead to fraud or disputes.
The owner, whose name was withheld for privacy, expressed immense gratitude toward Fongchan, stating that the recovery of the funds was a “miracle” during a stressful time.
