The family of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was discovered inside a suitcase near a railway track in Pattaya has been thrown into mourning following the arrest of an Australian man charged with her murder.
According to Agence France-Presse on Monday, the suspect, 45-year-old Simon Peter Carman, has been charged with premeditated murder, taking a minor for sexual purposes, and concealing a body. He has denied all the allegations.
The victim’s stepmother, Orradee Bussarakham, described the family’s grief, saying they never had the opportunity to bid the teenager farewell.
“I never imagined she would be gone this quickly. We didn’t get to say goodbye,” she said.
She added, “Like her dad, I’m devastated. Although I’m her stepmother, I feel like I just lost a child of my own.”
Thai police said Carman was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday night while attempting to board a flight to Australia after the victim’s friend reported her missing.
Investigators said CCTV footage captured the suspect entering a condominium in Pattaya with the teenager in the early hours of Thursday before leaving later that day carrying a large black suitcase.
Police alleged that the suitcase was transported on a motorcycle and abandoned near a railway line, where officers later discovered the girl’s body bearing signs of violence.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Kosala Ngampong confirmed that Carman is being held in Pattaya pending prosecution.
Under Thailand’s Criminal Code, premeditated murder attracts life imprisonment or the death penalty, although executions are rarely carried out.
The victim had travelled from Kalasin province to Pattaya on June 16. Her stepmother described her as a cheerful and sociable teenager who regularly assisted the family in selling fruits and flower garlands and enjoyed bringing relatives together for traditional Thai barbecue gatherings.
Her body has been released to her family for funeral rites.
