Australian held at Suvarnabhumi over Pattaya murder case
Thai Immigration detained an Australian man at Suvarnabhumi Airport over the alleged murder and concealment of a 17-year-old girl
Thai Immigration officers have detained an Australian man at Suvarnabhumi Airport after police linked him to the disappearance and alleged murder of a 17-year-old girl in Pattaya.
The suspect, identified in Thai reports as Peter Carman, was stopped at around 9.30pm on June 26 while preparing to travel on Jetstar flight JQ76 to Perth, Australia.
Immigration officers at the outbound checkpoint were alerted by the Immigration Bureau’s information system that Pattaya City Police Station had requested a watch notice to prevent the man leaving Thailand.
The request was made as investigators were examining his alleged connection to the disappearance of Thanchanok Donhomla, 17, while police were in the process of seeking court approval for an arrest warrant.
Officers from Investigation and Suppression Sub-Division, Immigration Division 2, took the man into custody for further questioning.
According to investigators, CCTV footage later became a key piece of evidence. The footage allegedly showed the suspect pulling a suitcase out of a condominium in Pattaya, leading police to suspect that it could be connected to the missing teenager.
Police questioned the suspect, who then gave information about where the suitcase had allegedly been discarded.
After receiving the information, Immigration officers coordinated with investigators from Pattaya City Police Station, who rushed to inspect the location. Officers later found the body of Thanchanok based on the information provided during questioning.
The discovery led police to proceed with legal action on charges related to murder and concealment of a body.
The case remains under investigation, with authorities expected to examine CCTV footage, forensic evidence and the suspect’s movements before completing the case file.
Australian suspect claims self-defence as Pattaya teen death probe deepens
An Australian man accused in the death of a 17-year-old girl in Pattaya has claimed he acted in self-defence during a confrontation that began over a 500-baht payment dispute, while police stress that his account has not yet been accepted as fact.
Simon Peter Carman, 46, spoke to reporters on June 27 and apologised to the victim’s family as the investigation into the teenager’s death continued.
The case began after the girl’s body was found concealed in a suitcase and left in a wooded area near a road running along the railway line in Pattaya. Investigators had earlier traced CCTV footage that allegedly showed the suspect moving a suitcase out of a condominium before leaving the area.
According to the suspect’s account, he had not known the victim before they met in Pattaya and went to his condominium. He claimed they initially agreed on a payment of 1,000 baht, but an argument followed after he offered 500 baht instead.
Carman further claimed that the teenager threatened him with a knife and demanded more money. He said he restrained her during the confrontation and insisted he had not intended to kill her. He also admitted placing her body in a suitcase and leaving it near the railway-side road.
After the incident, investigators said the suspect returned to his room, collected belongings and travelled to Suvarnabhumi Airport, where he was preparing to leave Thailand for Australia. Pattaya police and Immigration officers had already been tracking the case and stopped him at the airport before he could depart.
The suspect was then taken back to Pattaya City Police Station for further questioning.
Investigators are expected to examine forensic evidence, autopsy results and items recovered from the condominium before drawing final conclusions about what happened. Police have emphasised that the suspect’s statement is only his version of events and must be tested against physical evidence and witness material.
