A retired Ministry of Industry official shared his experience of being robbed while travelling alone in Georgia, urging solo travellers to exercise caution as authorities continue to investigate the death of Thai YouTuber Hlun Solo.
Pornchai Sanafee, a former minister of industry, recounted his experience on July 29, before the Royal Thai Embassy confirmed that Hlun Solo had been found dead in Tbilisi. Georgian authorities have not determined the cause of the YouTuber’s death, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Pornchai said he travelled to Georgia as a solo backpacker in July 2022 after beginning his journey in Turkey and later flying to Georgia.
According to Pornchai, he was robbed on the first day of his visit after a local threatened him with a knife and demanded his valuables. He said the suspect took his mobile phone and camera, but he resisted and attempted to recover his belongings.
Pornchai said he managed to retrieve one mobile phone during the struggle before the suspect fled. He later realised the device belonged to the robber rather than to him. He reported the incident to local police and handed over the phone to assist with the investigation.
According to Pornchai, police arrested the suspect the following day. However, he said he never recovered his stolen belongings because police informed him that the suspect refused to disclose their whereabouts.
Reflecting on the experience, Pornchai said many travellers consider Georgia a safe destination, but his own experience was different.
He added that he saw some people living in difficult circumstances, including locals searching through rubbish for food, and suggested that economic hardship could contribute to crime.
Following media coverage of Hlun Solo’s death, other Thai travellers also shared their experiences of visiting Georgia. Several described the country’s natural scenery positively but said they found some interactions with locals less welcoming than expected.
A Thai TikTok creator known as Kaengsom said she had recently returned from Georgia and agreed that the country’s landscapes were beautiful, but added that she did not intend to revisit.
According to Kaengsom, a local driver advised her to avoid arguments or behaviour that could offend locals, warning that doing so could be risky.
She said the driver explained that some residents faced financial hardship and personal difficulties, adding that alcohol consumption in the evenings could contribute to unpredictable behaviour.
In another account shared on Facebook, a Thai woman said someone knocked repeatedly on the door of the hotel room where she and her husband were staying in the Georgian capital late at night.
She said her husband responded without opening the door, but the person outside remained silent. When they contacted hotel staff, they were reportedly advised to ignore the knocking.
Other Thai social media users noted that crime can occur in any country and urged travellers to remain vigilant wherever they travel.
Despite the accounts shared online, there is no evidence linking any of these incidents to Hlun Solo’s death. Georgian authorities are continuing their investigation, and the cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
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