A man is shown walking with the victim and later carrying a bag
Thai authorities have charged an Australian man with the murder of a 17-year-old Thai girl, whose body was found inside a suitcase dumped near a railway line in the tourist city of Pattaya.The teenager was reported missing on Friday. Police said Simon Peter Carman, an Australian in his 40s, was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday while trying to board a flight to Perth. He faces charges of premeditated murder, concealing and transporting a corpse, and taking a minor for sexual purposes. He has denied all charges.CCTV footage showed the victim entering an apartment with Karman in Pattaya before he was later seen leaving alone carrying a large dark suitcase.
He then loaded the bag onto a motorcycle and headed to a deserted area near the railway line, where the girl’s body was later recovered.
Police said Carman was initially arrested on suspicion of rape of a minor. Additional charges were filed after officers found the bag containing the girl’s body. Premeditated murder carries the death penalty in Thailand.Karman told investigators that he tied up the girl because she “got crazy,” and claimed she threatened him with a knife while he tried to give her 500 baht (about $15).
He also apologized to the victim’s family, saying: “I feel sorry for what happened to your daughter. It was beyond my control.”The victim’s family said they were deeply shocked by her death. Her father said he was struggling to cope with the loss, while her stepmother called for the suspect to face the harshest punishment, saying she wanted him executed. Police have not said when Carman will appear in court for the first time.