PATTAYA, Thailand — An Australian man accused of killing a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in Pattaya has pleaded not guilty to all charges, opening the next stage of a case that has drawn widespread attention in Thailand and Australia.
Simon Peter Carman, 45, appeared at Pattaya Provincial Court on Friday, September 18, where he denied the charges against him and sought bail. Prosecutors opposed the request, arguing that he could pose a flight risk. His next court appearance has been scheduled for October 12.
Carman is facing four charges arising from the death of Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, including murder, concealing a corpse and offences involving allegedly taking a minor for indecent purposes. AFP and CNA reported that the charges relate to events surrounding the teenager’s death in June.
What happened to the Thai teenager?
Thai police allege that Tunchanok, who was also known by the nickname “Cake”, met Carman in Pattaya in the early hours of June 25.
Police said CCTV footage showed the pair entering a condominium in the Jomtien area. Later footage allegedly showed Carman leaving the building carrying a large black suitcase.
The teenager’s body was subsequently discovered inside a suitcase near railway tracks in Pattaya. Police said an autopsy determined that she died from suffocation, while also suffering a brain injury that was not considered the cause of death.
Investigators also said DNA belonging to Carman was found on the teenager’s body. Police have maintained that the evidence gathered supports their allegations, but those allegations remain to be tested in court.
Carman claims self-defence
Carman has previously rejected the allegation that he intentionally killed Tunchanok.
In an interview with Australia’s ABC from Pattaya Remand Prison in August, he said he acted in self-defence during a physical confrontation and claimed the teenager had attempted to stab him.
“I pled not guilty, and I remain not guilty of all four charges,” Carman told the ABC.
He also said he regretted what happened but maintained that he did not intend to kill the teenager.
Police have previously said they found no weapon matching Carman’s account in the apartment, according to Australian media reports. That point is part of the disputed evidence and has not been determined by a court.
Arrest came as he prepared to leave Thailand
Carman was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in late June as he was preparing to leave Thailand on a flight to Australia.
Police had been investigating Tunchanok’s disappearance after her body was discovered near railway tracks.
According to earlier reporting, investigators reviewed CCTV footage that allegedly showed Carman transporting a suitcase from the condominium area toward the location where the body was later found.
Carman has remained in Thai custody for almost three months.
Police investigation and autopsy findings
The case has been under investigation since June, with Thai authorities examining CCTV footage, forensic evidence and the movements of both Carman and Tunchanok.
In August, Thai police told ABC News that their autopsy indicated that Tunchanok died from suffocation. Investigators also said a brain injury was present but was not the cause of death.
Reuters previously reported that police alleged Tunchanok died following an argument after the pair returned to Carman’s accommodation. Police said they believed the dispute was connected to payment, although the precise circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain contested.
Earlier police inquiry into other cases
The investigation also briefly expanded beyond Tunchanok’s death.
In June, Thai police told The Guardian that they were examining whether Carman could potentially be connected to two earlier unsolved cases in the wider region because investigators saw similarities involving bodies found in suitcases.
However, police stressed at the time that there was no evidence establishing a connection between Carman and those cases. The inquiry was described as an investigative possibility rather than a proven link.
That distinction is important as the murder case proceeds: Carman has been charged in relation to Tunchanok’s death, but allegations concerning other cases should not be treated as established facts.
The case now moves into the court process
Friday’s appearance represents an important procedural step, but it does not determine Carman’s guilt or innocence.
He has pleaded not guilty, while prosecutors are pursuing the charges against him. The court must ultimately consider the evidence presented by both sides before reaching a verdict.
The next scheduled court date is October 12.
The case has attracted significant attention because of the CCTV evidence, the discovery of the teenager’s body inside a suitcase and Carman’s subsequent arrest at Bangkok’s international airport.
But the central question now moves from the police investigation to the courtroom: what can prosecutors prove, and how will the defence account for the evidence surrounding Tunchanok’s final hours?
Until the court reaches a verdict, Carman remains an accused person and has the right to be presumed innocent.
