17-year-old dead Thai girl's body found stuffed in suitcase near railway track, man arrested

A 17-year-old Thai girl's naked body was found in a suitcase dumped by a railway track in Pattaya.

On Friday night (June 26), a 46-year-old Australian man, identified as Simon Peter Carman, was taken into custody at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after being accused of killing her, reported the Bangkok Post on June 27. 

He allegedly confessed to the crime but claimed he was acting in self-defence.

He also consented to forensic officers examining his room and his body as part of the investigation.

The girl, identified as Thanchanok Donhomla, was a native of Kalasin province. 

According to investigators, she was last seen walking into a condominium holding hands with Carman at about 3.35am on Thursday. 

They were staying in a room on the 15th floor of the building, in Bang Lamung district, Pattaya.

About 18 hours later, he was allegedly seen dragging a black suitcase out of the building, which he placed at the back of a motorcycle. 

He allegedly drove against the traffic alongside a railway track before disappearing from camera coverage for around nine minutes. 

Later, he returned to the condo via the same route, but without the suitcase, Pol Col Anek Srathongyu, chief of the Pattaya City police station, told reporters.

When the police searched his room in a condominium, they found signs of struggle, and launched a manhunt. 

Carman was arrested at the airport on Friday (June 26) while he was allegedly purchasing a ticket back to Australia. 

Officers allegedly noticed scratch marks, likely caused by fingernails, on Carman's neck and arms, reported The Pattaya News. 

He initially denied involvement but later provided a statement after being confronted with evidence. 

The suitcase was found about 4km from the condominium. 

Police found a girl's naked, curled-up body inside, covered with a thin brown cloth. She was believed to have been dead for about two days. 

Her face and body were allegedly covered with severe bruises with bloodstains around her nostrils and mouth. 

Reports said that Carman did not know the victim before the incident. 

Investigations are still ongoing. 

In an interview with The Thaiger, the grieving parents of Thanchanok spoke of their heartbreak as they waited to collect their daughter's body. 

The parents shared that their child had travelled to Pattaya on June 16 with her 19-year-old friend and it was her first time visiting the city. 

Her travel companion later reported her as missing on June 26. 

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