Lead

Australian national Simon Peter Carman has been charged with murder after the body of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla was found inside a suitcase in Thailand. Police allege that Carman, 45 or 46, killed the teenager after a dispute over money, and CCTV footage appears to show the pair entering a hotel together, with Carman leaving hours later with only a suitcase.

Coverage comparison

ABC Australia reported that Carman, who lived in Western Australia before arriving in Thailand, was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday as he was preparing to board a flight to Australia, after a friend of Donhomla reported her missing to police on Thursday. The teenager's naked body was discovered in black luggage in waist-high grass alongside a railway line, about 10 minutes' drive from the apartment complex where Carman had been staying, according to ABC.

Al Jazeera reported that Carman was charged with murder after the body was found, and that CCTV footage shows him and Donhomla entering a hotel together. The Guardian reported that Pattaya City police told the paper that Carman has denied the charges against him, and that he was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday evening.

The Guardian also reported that police have laid three charges against Carman: murder, concealing a corpse in an attempt to hide the cause of death, and abduction of a minor over 15 but not yet 18 years of age for indecent purposes. Carman denied all charges, police said.

ABC Australia provided additional background on Carman, reporting that he spent much of the past decade isolating himself from many of his friends and family in Australia, and that he had been living in Thailand since late last year. The ABC also reported that Carman had various interactions with police while living in Western Australia, including having his firearms confiscated, and that his gun licence was suspended in 2023.

Key claims

  • Carman has been charged with murder, and denied the charges, according to multiple reports from ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian.
  • CCTV footage allegedly shows Carman and Donhomla entering a hotel together and Carman leaving hours later with a suitcase, as reported by Al Jazeera and The Guardian. The Guardian reported that the footage, which it said it had seen and which police verified, shows the pair holding hands in a condo lobby while waiting for an elevator shortly after 3:30am on Thursday.
  • Carman was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport as he tried to board a flight to Australia, according to ABC Australia and The Guardian.
  • Carman confessed to killing Donhomla after an argument, telling police he squeezed her neck until she lost consciousness, according to ABC Australia and other reports. The Guardian reported that in a video taken while in custody, Carman said what occurred was "out of my control."
  • Donhomla's body was found naked in a suitcase near railway tracks, about 10 minutes' drive from Carman's apartment complex, as reported by ABC Australia and The Guardian.
  • Carman told police that Donhomla threatened him with a knife during an argument over money, according to ABC Australia. Thai media reported the dispute was over money, after initially agreeing he would pay her 1,000 baht ($43), then offering 500 baht instead.
  • In a video, Carman addressed the victim's family, saying he felt "bad" about what happened and telling them to be careful, as reported by The Guardian.

Perspectives

Police (Pattaya City police)

Pattaya City police colonel Anek Srathongyoo told ABC Australia that after the girl went missing, "we suspected that something bad might happen." Police allege Carman picked up Donhomla from the Beach Road vice strip in Pattaya in the early hours of Thursday morning and took her back to his complex in Jomtien.

Accused (Simon Peter Carman)

Carman has denied the charges, and in a video addressing the victim's family said, "I feel bad for what happened to your daughter. It was out of my control." He also told police that Donhomla threatened him with a knife during the argument over money.

Victim's family

The Guardian reported that Carman addressed the victim's family in a video, but did not include any direct reaction from the family in the material provided. ABC Australia noted that the family did not want to talk to the ABC about Carman's background.

WA Premier (Roger Cook)

ABC Australia reported that WA Premier Roger Cook said Carman had "various interactions" with police while living in Western Australia, including having his firearms confiscated.