AN Australian man has been charged with murder after a girl’s naked body was discovered stuffed into a suitcase.
Simon Carman, 46, before dumping her body near railway tracks in Pattaya, south Thailand on Friday.
Simon Carman has been charged with the murder of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Carman can be seen Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
CCTV showed the Aussie tourist wheeling a black suitcase that cops said matched the one Tunchanok was found in Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Tunchanok Donhomla’s body was found stuffed into a suitcase by a railway track Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
In a chilling interview, Carman addressed the teen’s family, saying: “‘I feel bad for what happened to your daughter – it was out of my control.”
It has now emerged that Carman is a British-born tradie who runs a fuel delivery service in where he has a lengthy history with police.
The driver has been charged with disorderly behaviour in a public place, driving while disqualified and demanding property with threats, according to the Daily Mail .
Carman allegedly picked up Tunchanok from the Beach Road vice strip in Pattaya in the early hours of Thursday morning.
CCTV footage from later that day shows the pair walking into a hotel room hand in hand.
A man matching the description of Carman was caught struggling with a black suitcase as he left the room later that night.
It matched the bag that Tunchanok’s body was found in just 10 minutes from the hotel on Friday, police said.
The girl’s friends lodged a report to police and raised the alarm that she was last seen with a foreign man.
Carman told cops he acted in self defence when the teen attacked him, but denied killing her Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Tunchanok allegedly met Carman at the Beach Road vice strip Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
After making the grim discovery cops launched a manhunt for Carman.
He was arrested later that day as he tried to board a flight at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
Police retraced Tunchanok’s last moments to the Pattaya hotel room where they found signs of a struggle and blood splattered across the floor.
Carman has already been charged with “taking a minor for the purpose of committing an indecent act”, cops said.
During police interviews he allegedly told cops he had agreed to pay the teen 1,000 baht (AU$43.45).
But the pair had an argument when he offered 500 baht (AU$21.72).
He claimed Tunchanok had attacked him with a knife, and he acted in self-defence.
Asked by an officer if he killed the girl, Carman said: “No”.
Her grieving parents said they had not been able to contact the teen Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Carman was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport Credit: Reuters
Taped recordings of the interview show Carman claim the bruises and scratches on his neck were from “spiders” in his condo.
Tunchanok’s heartbroken family said they had tried but failed to contact the teen.
In a teary interview her stepmother, Oradee Bussarakum, said: “We were scared. We just hoped it wouldn’t turn out the way we feared.”
Carman remains in custody and is undergoing further questioning as investigators continue to collect evidence.
Police boss Anek Sarathongyu said: “We believe he killed her, and he is being questioned on suspicion of murder.
“Although the foreign man denies killing her, we do not believe him. The evidence that he killed her is extremely strong.”
A murder conviction in Thailand can result in a life sentence or the death penalty.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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