Just wanted to relay the story my co worker just told me today. He just returned from a two week organized tour of Italy. The group stays in high quality hotels, has guided tours etc. Last week while boarding the tour bus, my friend left his backpack (with his passport and camera and stuff) on the chair as he went to the bathroom. As he returned to the lobby in the hotel he could see a guy rushing out of the lobby with his backpack! He couldn't run him down. Renaissance something hotel I think he was in. Anyway, he was lucky it was a weekday, the tour guide accompanied him on the train to the us consulate where he got his replacement passport in 50 minutes! He says the document is good for travel for one year and my friend says it can be used as a regular passport, and it was not just a return home type of document. Just curious if anybody has been through the same in Thailand.

oops no capitol letters

Glad he got it sorted, and I assume anyone in a similar situation anywhere would get similar service from the US consulate.

Wish I could believe the same had he been British!

But

my friend left his backpack (with his passport and camera and stuff) on the chair as he went to the bathroom. As he returned to the lobby in the hotel he could see a guy rushing out of the lobby with his backpack!

Lesson learned, I trust.

Don't leave bags unattended anywhere public.

Not just to prevent theft; but these days he could have come back to find the police clearing the hotel while the bomb squad arrived!