Thai authorities have arrested an Australian man on suspicion of murdering a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in Pattaya.
The suspect, identified as Simon Peter Carman, was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday as he allegedly attempted to board a flight back to Australia.
Police have charged the man with murder, concealing a body, moving or destroying a body, and taking a minor for sexual purposes.
According to investigators, CCTV footage showed Carman entering a condominium in Pattaya with the teenage girl before leaving alone several hours later carrying a large suitcase.
Police said the footage allegedly captured him loading the suitcase onto a motorcycle and transporting it to a grassy area near a railway line, where the victim’s body was later discovered.
Following a review of the evidence, authorities obtained an arrest warrant and detained the suspect before he could leave the country.
Before being transferred to the Pattaya Provincial Court, Carman reportedly expressed sympathy to the victim’s family, saying he felt sorry for what had happened and claiming the incident was beyond his control.
The victim’s father, 46-year-old Thongchai Donhomla, said he was devastated by the loss of his daughter, describing her as someone who always found ways to support herself and help the family.
Her stepmother, Oradee Bussarakum, said she wanted the suspect to face the maximum punishment permitted under Thai law.
Thai police have not yet announced when Carman will make his first court appearance.
The investigation into the teenager’s death remains ongoing.
