Somkriet Wonkaonoi of Cherngtalay picked up 28-year-old South Korean tourist Kim Hye Rin and her family at about midday and drove them to various places before finally dropping them at Jungceylon in Patong.
Later, he spotted the purse and, at 8pm, turned it in to Kathu Police.
Miss Kim was delighted to get the purse back. “We’re here as tourists,” she explained. “We used Mr Somkriet’s taxi service to travel around Phuket from noon until we got out at Jungceylon.
“Later I realised I had left my purse in the taxi. I thought I would never see it again, so I’m very happy it’s been returned.
“I and my family greatly appreciate the driver’s honesty in returning the purse. This is a fine thing to do; it’s good for his reputation and for that of Phuket.”