PHUKET -- A nine-year-old schoolgirl has been awarded with a scholarship and a certificate honouring her good deed after she returned 130,000 baht cash and six-baht weight of gold she found on a road to the rightful owner.
The girl, Piyarat Butkhaek, is a Grade 3 student at Choeng Thale Municipality School.
On April 17, Nooklai Sangkaew, 55, of tambon Kamala in Krathu district, withdrew 130,000 baht from a bank to pay the medical bill of her husband, who was sick and treated in hospital.
She then took a tuk tuk motorcycle to a relative's house near Kamala police station. It was raining, and on the way the purse fell from the tuk tuk unnoticed.
Piyarat happened to see the purse. She took it to her parents, who subsequently informed Mrs Nooklai that their daughter had found the purse and wanted to return it to her.
Mrs Nooklai was delighted to get her money and gold back. She said she had travelled back along the road twice, looking for it. She rewarded Piyarat with 2,000 baht in return, for her "admirable heart".
After learning of her good act, the mayor of tambon Choeng Thale Municipality, Suniran Rachatapruek, presented Piyarat with a scholarship and a certificate to honour her good deed at a ceremony on Thursday morning.
Phuket governor Norapat Plodthong said his office will also award her with a certificate of merit. The presentation will be held soon, he added.