Opinion Travel writer May 8, 2026 — 5:00am I’ll never feel as lost in the world as the time in Thailand a swim cost me my place in it. Stupid, yep, I know: I left everything (passport, wallet, phone) on my bed, while I ran outside for a last-minute dip in the sea before check-out. The door was ajar when I got back; everything valuable was gone. The temptation of a Thai beach proved too much … and proved costly. iStock Murphy’s Law had it that I was travelling solo , without a friend in the world. A person’s phone is their identifier; everything in it; bank accounts, phone numbers etc define you as different to everyone else. My passport validates me; my driver’s licence serves as back-up. Without any of them: am I really me? There is no good country to be robbed in. But Thailand isn’t even close to okay. For starters, when your passport and valuables are stolen – including all your cash – the first thing you must do is to pay cash. Police reports (for insurance) don’t come for free. No money; no report.…