Simon Peter Carman: West Aussie charged with Thai girl’s suitcase murder to front Thai court for first time

A West Australian man accused of murdering a Thai teenager and stuffing her body into a suitcase is expected to front court for the first time on Friday morning.

Simon Carman is due to make a first appearance in a Pattaya court since being charged over the murder of Tunchanok Dunhomla, also known as ‘Cake’, back in June.

The West Australian understands that prosecutors have laid four charges against Carman, including intentional murder and concealing a body, as well as sex-related and abduction charges over his interactions with a minor.

If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty under Thai law.

Thai police allege Mr Carman brought the 17-year-old girl to his room for sexual services on June 25 before a fatal dispute erupted over payment — allegedly involving a difference of just 500 baht (approximately $A21).

Investigators tracked her final movements to Mr Carman’s hotel, where she was seen being led by her hand up an elevator by the West Australian man.

Footage taken from outside the hotel that evening showed Mr Carman leaving alone — and pulling a suitcase.

The young woman’s naked body was later found stuffed inside a black suitcase, discarded in bushland on the side of a road.

Mr Carman, 45, was arrested by Thai immigration officers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport late Friday, reportedly minutes before he was due to leave Thailand on a flight bound for Perth.

He was initially charged with abducting a minor for sexual services before Ms Donhomla’s body was discovered inside the suitcase a short time later.

Local media reported that Mr Carman initially claimed the teen had “disappeared from the room” as he slept before changing his story after being confronted with evidence.

In a brief interview post-arrest, Mr Carman claimed scratches likened to defensive wounds on his body were from spider bites. He also denied killing the girl.

He has only been seen once since then, in a television interview inside Pattaya Remand Prison where he has been for almost three months.

In that ABC interview, he said he had a physical struggle inside his apartment bit denied killing the girl.