Australian national Simon Peter Carman, 45, has denied murdering Thai teenager Tunchanok Donhomla in Pattaya, telling the ABC news, he acted in self-defence during a struggle in which he claims she pulled a knife.
Carman, who has been held at Pattaya Remand Prison since his arrest on June 27, said he had pleaded not guilty to all four charges against him, including murder, concealing a corpse and abducting a minor for indecent purposes.
"I have not done anything wrong. I shouldn't be here ... I do not understand what's going on," he told ABC Foreign Correspondent in his first media interview since his arrest.
Carman said he was "hoping and praying" to be released. If convicted of murder, he faces either the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Carman describes alleged struggle
Police allege Carman picked up 17-year-old Tunchanok, known to family and friends as Cake, on Pattaya's Beach Road in the early hours of June 25 before killing her and disposing of her body.
CCTV showed the pair entering the lifts at Carman's condominium building holding hands. Later footage showed Carman dragging a large suitcase from the building and carrying it on a motorcycle at night.
Two days later, police found Tunchanok's body in the suitcase near railway tracks close to Carman's accommodation. He was arrested at Bangkok's international airport while attempting to board a flight to Perth.
Carman said he met Tunchanok while she was with two friends, and that she followed him home. He said he did not know why she did so, and claimed he believed she was aged between about 25 and 35.
He told the ABC he gave her 500 baht "for nothing", after which she demanded more money and allegedly pulled a knife. Carman said he repeatedly told her to put it down during a physical struggle.
"All I was trying to do was restrain her from stabbing me," he said, adding that she eventually "went limp". He said he did not call an ambulance or anyone else because he did not trust police.
Police file to go to prosecutors
Pattaya Police Colonel Anek Srathongyoo said investigators would submit their file to Pattaya prosecutors this week. Prosecutors will then have until September 18 to indict Carman.
Police say an autopsy concluded Tunchanok died from suffocation. Colonel Anek said she had suffered a brain injury and had no other injuries, while Carman's DNA was matched to DNA found on her body.
Tunchanok's father, Thongchai Donhomla, said he wanted the harshest punishment, either life imprisonment or death, saying he was deeply heartbroken and wanted justice for his daughter.
Carman told the ABC he did not yet have a lawyer and had received no visitors other than Australian embassy officials.
The exclusive 30 minute interview was conducted under a prison guard's watch. The ABC said it was the first foreign media organisation in at least 15 years allowed to interview a foreign inmate in a Thai prison. Officials reviewed footage for security reasons and prison conditions could not be discussed.
Video and picture courtesy of ABC News
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24 August 2026
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