A Thai woman in Udon Thani has rewarded a garbage collector with a stable job at her rubber store after he found and returned 100,000 baht in lost cash.
Boonkong “Namfon” Manmueangpak, a 28-year-old garbage collector, discovered the money on the roadside near an electricity pole while searching for recyclable items. Instead of keeping it, he cycled to Klang Yai Police Station on March 13 and asked officers to help locate the rightful owner.
As police conducted a reenactment at the scene, 41-year-old Piyanut Srithong arrived to report her missing money. Piyanut, who works at a rubber store purchasing rubber products for resale, explained that her employer, Wilai Prapkhonchua, had given her cash to buy supplies after pawning gold accessories. After verifying her claim, officers returned the money to her.
Grateful for Namfon’s honesty, Piyanut rewarded him with 3,000 baht and offered him a ride home. Learning that he made only 500-600 baht per visit from a recycling factory that collected garbage from his home twice a month, Piyanut consulted with Wilai, who decided to offer him a job at the store.
Wilai praised Namfon’s rare integrity, noting that many would have kept the money, but he chose to do the right thing. Namfon told reporters, “I didn’t want the money because it wasn’t mine.”
Upon visiting Namfon’s home, Piyanut was deeply moved by his living conditions. He lived in a run-down wooden house with his grandmother, who had always taught him to respect others’ belongings. Now, with a stable job, Namfon expressed his gratitude, saying it would allow him to better care for his grandmother.
