‘Sex tourist’ faces death penalty after body of girl, 17, found naked and stuffed in suitcase

A tourist has admitted to police he killed a Thai teenager after being arrested while trying to flee to Australia.

A tourist has admitted to police he killed a Thai teenager after being arrested while trying to flee to Australia.

Simon Carman, 45, met Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, in the early hours of Thursday on a beach in Jomtien, Pattaya, an area known for sex tourism.

Police believe Carman had initially agreed to pay 1,000 baht (£20) but at the hotel he offered half the money instead.

This, he claimed, prompted a violent argument and she held a knife to his throat, so he told police he strangled her.

They were filmed hand in hand arriving at his hotel at 3.30am, but then just before 10pm that day, CCTV footage shows him dragging a black suitcase out of the building and leaving with it on a motorbike.

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It was later found near a railway line and opened on national television, revealing Tunchanok’s body.

A warrant was issued and he was stopped trying to board a plane at Bangkok Airport.

Superintendent Anek Sarathongyu said Carman had initially denied killing her and claimed she left the room while he was sleeping.

When questioned about scratch marks on his neck, he said he thought they were from a spider, which investigators believe consistent with signs of a struggle.

It was only when Carman was shown the security footage of him carrying her body that he confessed.

Speaking from custody, he told Tunchanok’s family: ‘I know you will be very sad, upset, same me. It shouldn’t happen and I hope you okay, I know you’re not, but I hope. Please tell other girls… just to be careful.’