Hotelier returns 100,000 baht in euros to French tourist

The owner of an accommodation near Phuket airport successfully returned a bundle of euro banknotes left in a wardrobe, estimated to be worth about 100,000 baht, to a French tourist on Friday, receiving thanks and a 100-baht tip.

Guy Petcharat uploaded a picture of himself returning the cash to his hotel's guest in a Facebook post at 10.35am.

In the post, he explained the money had been returned to its owner, and thanked his team at OASIS Phuket Airport. He later added that he believed every hotel regularly carries out similar deeds, saying that if a guest leaves a personal belonging behind in their room, it must be returned.

Mr Petcharat elaborated that a housekeeper found an envelope stuffed with euro notes in a wardrobe after the guest had checked out and left for Koh Samui in Surat Thani province.

He personally contacted the tourist to tell him the envelope had been found.

The man had not realised the money was missing, Mr Petcharat said. When told, he flew back to Phuket to collect it.

"If the money had really been lost, he would have been shocked, because there was a lot in that envelope," the owner said to Phuket Times. "He looked very happy and gave me a 100-baht tip."