KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — A Thai road sweeper has won social media praises for returning 200,000 baht (RM26,121) worth of gold she found while on duty.
Ratree Chumwong, 55, from the central province of Phetchabun in Thailand, was working at Tung Jai Pattana Road at 5am on Sunday when she found a round box in front of a house.
Chumwong recognised the box was from a shop selling jewellery but she did not dare to open it to check its contents, The Thaiger reported.
Believing the box belonged to the occupant of the house, Chumwong decided to hide the box as she continued with her duties while waiting for the occupant to wake up.
Hours passed but no one stepped out of the house, prompting Chumwong to seek the help of the owner of a restaurant located near the house.
Upon opening the box, the restaurant owner found a gold necklace, a gold bracelet and an amulet in a gold frame.
The duo decided to surrender the items at Mueang Phetchabun Police Station where an officer managed to contact the homeowner Ittiphon, who confirmed the items belonged to him.
Ittiphon, 31, revealed that he had removed the jewellery and placed it in the box for safekeeping the night before as he was at a party.
The freelance photographer added the box must have accidentally dropped while he was opening the door to the house.
Chumwong said she was happy to have done a good deed.
“I thought the owner must regret the loss because I feel the same when I lose my belongings,” she said, adding that she called her son to tell him what happened and he was also happy for her.
As a token of appreciation for her honesty, Meaung Phetchabun Municipality’s deputy mayor Phattaradon Kositanon invited Chumwong to the municipality office to receive a certificate and reward yesterday.
