An 18-year-old’s Thailand backpacking trip took a frightening turn after he was arrested over a watch. His mother says he was ‘completely confused’

An 18-year-old New Zealand backpacker’s dream trip through Thailand has turned into a legal nightmare after he was arrested over a watch he says he never intended to steal. What was supposed to be a flight home ended with Loukas Rainger in police custody, facing a charge that could carry years in prison.

According to Lad Bible, Thai immigration officers stopped Rainger at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on July 16 as he prepared to leave the country. Legal documents obtained by Stuff allege he picked up a woman’s watch, reportedly worth about $100, during a security screening at Surat Thani Airport on July 3 and did not return it.

Rainger has denied the theft allegation, insisting he believed the watch had been left with his own belongings after the security check. His mother, Natasha Rainger, said her son was “completely confused” at the time and never intended to take something that belonged to someone else.

You can only imagine what his mum must be going through right now

Rainger has been charged with theft at an airport, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 Thai baht. According to court documents, a woman accidentally left her wristwatch in a security inspection tray at Surat Thani Airport. Authorities allege Rainger later picked it up, prompting the woman to file a complaint that led to an arrest warrant being issued on July 10.

This is not the first time an airport misunderstanding has happened. Recently, a traveler had one of her belongings confiscated during TSA screening and was stunned to later find the same item being sold inside the airport. 

Natasha described the experience as the hardest ordeal her family has ever faced. She said her son spent 12 hours handcuffed to a chair while being transported by train from Bangkok back to Surat Thani before police questioned him. Rainger’s lawyer, Werabhat Hemthansarp, told Stuff he has been working to change the teenager’s visa status so he can legally remain in Thailand until sentencing. He also said he is personally arranging $1,000 in compensation for the watch’s owner, who has accepted Rainger’s apology and had the watch returned.

Rainger’s first bail request was denied because he did not have the correct visa. The court later granted bail after 100,000 baht was paid and proof of three months of accommodation in Thailand was provided. Natasha said the family is relieved her son has been released but knows the legal battle is far from over.

She acknowledged her son should have handed the watch to airport staff instead of keeping it. However, she maintained there was no malicious intent, explaining he had been unwell after a long boat trip and was not thinking clearly. She said he had no experience dealing with a situation like this while traveling overseas.

Rainger and his mother must now remain in Ko Samui and report to the local police station every two weeks while the case moves through the Thai legal system. Natasha’s visa is due to expire on August 18, adding even more pressure as the family works to resolve the case before then. The case remains ongoing.

Unexpected police encounters can also happen over relatively small allegations, as one passenger discovered when he was accused of taking items from an airline snack cart and found police waiting after the plane landed.