Thai teen vanishes after meeting Australian man, naked body found in suitcase later
Thai police said a 17-year-old girl was killed after meeting an Australian man in Pattaya. The arrest at Bangkok airport and the family's grief have intensified scrutiny of the case.
A 17-year-old Thai girl was spending Wednesday night on Pattaya's palm-lined beachfront when she met a foreign man and struck up a conversation. In the early hours of Thursday, they returned to his apartment, where Thai police say he strangled her to death.
Two days later, officers found the teenager's naked body stuffed inside a suitcase and dumped in waist-high grass near a railway track, only a short distance from the beach.
Hours after officers recovered the body, Simon Peter Carman was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport early on Saturday while attempting to board a flight to Australia.
The suspect has been charged with intentional murder, concealing a corpse, moving or destroying a corpse, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence ranging from 15 to 20 years, life imprisonment or the death penalty under Thai law.
Police said the investigation is continuing and prosecutors will decide on the formal indictment after reviewing the evidence.
LAST HOURS BEFORE THE KILLING
Investigators said the teenager was last seen on Wednesday night in Pattaya, where she met the Australian man before the pair returned to his condominium in the early hours of Thursday.
According to police, CCTV footage captured the two walking hand in hand into the building before only the suspect was later seen leaving with a large black suitcase.
Authorities were alerted on Friday evening after the girl's friend reported her missing, telling police she had last been seen with a foreign man.
After reviewing surveillance footage, police traced the pair to the condominium and searched the property, where they recovered the suspect's passport. Police later tracked him to Bangkok airport.
A second CCTV recording allegedly showed the suspect loading the suitcase onto a motorcycle before travelling to a grassy area near a railway line, where officers later recovered the victim's body.
POLICE SAY SUSPECT ADMITTED STRANGLING VICTIM
Police said Carman made a partial confession during questioning.
"He said he did not intend to kill her, but admitted strangling her, causing her death," Police Colonel Anek Srathongyoo, superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, told Reuters.
"He stated that they had an argument and, during the altercation, he strangled the woman."
Investigators said they are awaiting the results of the post-mortem examination as forensic specialists continue collecting evidence. Police have not disclosed what triggered the alleged argument or released additional details about the circumstances leading up to the teenager's death.
An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed consular assistance was being provided to an Australian arrested in Thailand but declined to comment further.
FAMILY LEFT DEVASTATED
The victim's family said they were struggling to process the loss of the teenager, who had travelled to Pattaya only a few days before her death.
Her father, Thongchai Donhomla, said the family had been left heartbroken.
"I am deeply saddened. My daughter had no mother, so whenever she wanted anything, she would find a way herself, and she always helped me too," he said.
Her stepmother, Oradee Bussarakum, said the family feared the worst after seeing media reports about a suitcase found near the railway line.
"We were scared," she said. "We just hoped it wouldn't turn out the way we feared. Now our eyes are swollen from crying."
Calling for the strongest possible punishment, Bussarakum added: "I told the police I want him executed. As a (step)mother, I don't know what else to say I just want him to face the full consequences."
A 17-year-old Thai girl was spending Wednesday night on Pattaya's palm-lined beachfront when she met a foreign man and struck up a conversation. In the early hours of Thursday, they returned to his apartment, where Thai police say he strangled her to death.
Two days later, officers found the teenager's naked body stuffed inside a suitcase and dumped in waist-high grass near a railway track, only a short distance from the beach.
Hours after officers recovered the body, Simon Peter Carman was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport early on Saturday while attempting to board a flight to Australia.
The suspect has been charged with intentional murder, concealing a corpse, moving or destroying a corpse, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence ranging from 15 to 20 years, life imprisonment or the death penalty under Thai law.
Police said the investigation is continuing and prosecutors will decide on the formal indictment after reviewing the evidence.
LAST HOURS BEFORE THE KILLING
Investigators said the teenager was last seen on Wednesday night in Pattaya, where she met the Australian man before the pair returned to his condominium in the early hours of Thursday.
According to police, CCTV footage captured the two walking hand in hand into the building before only the suspect was later seen leaving with a large black suitcase.
Authorities were alerted on Friday evening after the girl's friend reported her missing, telling police she had last been seen with a foreign man.
After reviewing surveillance footage, police traced the pair to the condominium and searched the property, where they recovered the suspect's passport. Police later tracked him to Bangkok airport.
A second CCTV recording allegedly showed the suspect loading the suitcase onto a motorcycle before travelling to a grassy area near a railway line, where officers later recovered the victim's body.
POLICE SAY SUSPECT ADMITTED STRANGLING VICTIM
Police said Carman made a partial confession during questioning.
"He said he did not intend to kill her, but admitted strangling her, causing her death," Police Colonel Anek Srathongyoo, superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, told Reuters.
"He stated that they had an argument and, during the altercation, he strangled the woman."
Investigators said they are awaiting the results of the post-mortem examination as forensic specialists continue collecting evidence. Police have not disclosed what triggered the alleged argument or released additional details about the circumstances leading up to the teenager's death.
An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed consular assistance was being provided to an Australian arrested in Thailand but declined to comment further.
FAMILY LEFT DEVASTATED
The victim's family said they were struggling to process the loss of the teenager, who had travelled to Pattaya only a few days before her death.
Her father, Thongchai Donhomla, said the family had been left heartbroken.
"I am deeply saddened. My daughter had no mother, so whenever she wanted anything, she would find a way herself, and she always helped me too," he said.
Her stepmother, Oradee Bussarakum, said the family feared the worst after seeing media reports about a suitcase found near the railway line.
"We were scared," she said. "We just hoped it wouldn't turn out the way we feared. Now our eyes are swollen from crying."
Calling for the strongest possible punishment, Bussarakum added: "I told the police I want him executed. As a (step)mother, I don't know what else to say I just want him to face the full consequences."
