Poor Thai Kids Find $2,788 in Donated Jeans, Decide to Return the Money

December 19, 2016

Two impoverished schoolboys, Khamnon Kaengwichit and his cousin Nawapon Sopasereesuk, were left shocked after discovering THB 100,000 ($2,788) in the pockets of some donated pre-owned jeans.

Khamnon and Nawapon, both aged 9 and in first grade, received the donated denim trousers the school distributed to needy students to wear during the cold winter season in Thailand.

But when they went to try on the hand-me-down clothes at Ban Khun Huay Mae Thor School in Sam Muen of Mae Ramat district of Tak province, they were surprised to find cash — worth around $2,788 — in the pocket of a pair of jeans.

Khamnon and Nawapon knew it was not right to keep something that did not belong to them, so instead of pocketing the cash for themselves, the two boys told their teacher on Thursday afternoon about the money.

The following day on Friday, Mae Ramant district chief Wathit Panyakom and district Red Cross chairwoman Nongkhran Panayakhom led officials to meet the boys at their home in Ban Khun Huay Mae Thor, according to Bangkok Post.

As a reward for their honesty, Jiraporn Khamput, director of the highland residents promotion center, gave each of them 5,000 baht — about $139 — as well as two bags of new clothes, blankets and other essential items.

Sawat Chan-iew, director of Ban Khun Mae Thor School, said he was still trying to track down the donors who contributed the jeans and other clothing to the school. He wanted to make sure that the money was returned to its rightful owner.

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