Australian expat Simon Peter Carman has told Thai police how he spent the 17 hours after the death of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla before disposing of her body and attempting to board a flight to Australia. Investigators allege the 45-year-old left the teenager’s body inside a suitcase in the bathroom of his Pattaya apartment, carried on with his daily routine, and later dumped the suitcase in long grass near railway tracks before travelling to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where he was arrested.

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Police reported that the case began after Ms Donhomla, 17, met Carman in Pattaya. According to investigators, the fatal encounter centred on a dispute over 500 baht. Daily Mail reporting says Carman told police he spent the remainder of the night sleeping in the apartment, only metres from the suitcase containing the teenager’s body, which he said he had “put away”.

According to his account, Carman woke several hours later, stripped his bedding, gathered his laundry and left the apartment with washing for a nearby launderette. He then spoke with neighbours and his landlady before crossing the road for lunch. A laundrette owner told the Daily Mail that nothing about Carman’s behaviour appeared unusual, adding that he mentioned meeting a friend for lunch.

Carman later told investigators the friend cancelled their lunch meeting after being delayed outside Pattaya. He said the change of plans prompted him to return to Australia, as the friend had belongings stored in his apartment that would no longer be collected immediately. Police say Carman spent the afternoon running errands before returning to the apartment, where Ms Donhomla’s body remained in the bathroom.

Investigators allege Carman then booked a flight to Australia before deciding how to dispose of the body. CCTV footage allegedly shows him dragging the suitcase from his apartment at about 9.25pm, securing it to the back of his red scooter and riding towards nearby railway tracks, where police reported he abandoned it in long grass before returning home.

As Carman prepared to leave Thailand, Ms Donhomla’s disappearance had already prompted concern among her friends. A group visited his apartment and Carman let them inside, where they questioned him about her whereabouts while taking photographs of him on their mobile phones.

In the images, Carman appears calm as the group searched for answers about their missing friend before leaving. At about 5pm they reported her missing to local police, but by then, likely spooked by their questioning him, he was already on his way to the airport.

Police arrested Carman at Suvarnabhumi Airport shortly before he was due to board a Jetstar flight to Perth. According to a source close to the investigation, Carman told officers he had only intended to return to Australia to replace a lost debit card and planned to come back to Thailand within a few days to hand himself in and “take accountability”. Police continue their investigation into the alleged murder.

Pictures courtesy of Daily Mail

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailymail 5 July 2026

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8 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Carman told officers he had only intended to return to Australia to replace a lost debit card and planned to come back to Thailand within a few days to hand himself in and “take accountability”.

His lies are not the best.

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

According to investigators, the fatal encounter centred on a dispute over 500 baht

You've got to draw the line somewhere but this guy went over the top.

The narrative thus far has managed to avoid the subject of prostitution or what a 17 year old girl was doing at the coconut bar, or how or why she was supporting her indigent parents. Her friends from the coconut bar knew where the man lived, which indicates that this probably wasn't a one time encounter.

Mentioning those subjects would not cast certain aspects of Thai culture in a positive light. Most uninitiated Western media consumers lack the wits or critical thinking skills to question any of these things. The Thais, however, know how to read between the lines. I'd put those skiving parents in an adjacent cell to the psycho Aussie.

So from Carman's description of events as in the Daily Mail sourced OP, the arrival of Cake's 2 friends at his condo rental had nothing to do with it.

The Australian ABC featured an article yesterday that looked into this guys weird background (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-04/who-is-simon-carman-thai-teenager-murder-case/106857974).

Seems, he was a ticking time bomb!

" A lost debit card " he won't need a debit card where he's going to.

I never can understand this kind of crime. Anyone who would do such a thing must be insane.

Bar manager remembers Carman

Wed 1 Jul -- More details have also emerged about Mr Carman's movements in the days and hours before Ms Tunchanok was killed.

Kanyarat Duangdao, the manager of Marina 2 Bar and Grill in Pattaya, told the ABC she witnessed Mr Carman the night he met Ms Tunchanok.

He was with a different girl at the bar around 1am, she said, and he was drunk. She said he left the bar alone about an hour later.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-01/photos-show-room-of-simon-carman-alleged-murder-thai-teenager/106863284

NB Carman had lived in the same building for 8 months. He was a well known commodity

Investigate the friend, birds of a feather

9 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

friends from the coconut bar knew where the man lived, which indicates that this probably wasn't a one time encounter

It has been reported that they knew where she had been because they asked her to send her location while she was there.

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Investigate the friend, birds of a feather

Investigate whose friend and why?

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Investigate whose friend and why?

You didn't read the article it seems, that helps, the murderer was due to meet his friend

21 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

CCTV footage allegedly shows him dragging the suitcase from his apartment at about 9.25pm, securing it to the back of his red scooter and riding towards nearby railway

If he had just checked the bag he might have gotten away with it.

27 minutes ago, 10baht said:

If he had just checked the bag he might have gotten away with it.

If he had just headed to the airport after dumping the suitcase instead waiting until the next afternoon, he might have at least made it to Perth.

Dreadful situation but parents have to take some responsibility, a 17 year old girl out on the pattaya streets late at night working as a prostitute and been working there for a while according to the media so likely 16 yrs old, where was the adult supervision and a duty of care. They allowed a child to make these decisions and put herself in unknown danger, now they are chasing a payout

"Investigators allege the 45-year-old left the teenager’s body inside a suitcase in the bathroom of his Pattaya apartment, carried on with his daily routine,"

Carried on with his daily routine !? !? As if nothing happened, absolute monster. I really dislike this guy on so many levels. Compensate the family and give him a life time senetece in The Bangkok Hilton, a sentence worse than death. No privileges or Aussie government support.

5 minutes ago, Thumbs said:

a 17 year old girl out on the pattaya streets late at night working as a prostitute and been working there for a while according to the media so likely 16 yrs old,

Where did you see those reports, all I have seen from several is this.

"CCTV footage, released by police, shows a girl in jeans and a taller man in shorts and black sleeveless t-shirt holding hands and walking into a lift around 3:35 a.m. on Thursday.

"On the day of the incident, he was out walking when he met the victim," Anek said, referring to Carman.

"They struck up a conversation, decided to continue spending time together, and later returned ⁠to his condominium," he said, adding that the teenager, her family's only child, had arrived in Pattaya just a few days before the incident.' From Reuters.

20 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

The Australian ABC featured an article yesterday that looked into this guys weird background (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-04/who-is-simon-carman-thai-teenager-murder-case/106857974).

Seems, he was a ticking time bomb!

Other than having no contact with his family I really don't see any time bomb.

12 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It has been reported that they knew where she had been because they asked her to send her location while she was there.

That would give the building location.

Not his room, and the friends knew and went directly to his room.

No mention is made that the text she sent about the room being messy also gave his condo room number, tho it easily could have been included.

And then again, the police acting so quickly and seriously, due they said to a feeling, also possibly implies some deeper understanding and maybe earlier contact having occurred with him…

1 hour ago, Thumbs said:

Dreadful situation but parents have to take some responsibility, a 17 year old girl out on the pattaya streets late at night working as a prostitute and been working there for a while according to the media so likely 16 yrs old, where was the adult supervision and a duty of care. They allowed a child to make these decisions and put herself in unknown danger, now they are chasing a payout

First she had not been gone long. Second many girls in families come to BKK and pats to get a real job to help family get by.

Many old families know that there is an underground of girls that work in bars to find a farang ATM.

Most girls tell family they got a job working as a waitress.

The fact that she is 17 would add to the fact that she was not a bar girl as they gave to be 18 I believe.

More will come out but blaming mom and dad is asinine. If you have ever had teen kids you would know that they have 3 rules.

They are smarter than their parents

It might have happened to someone else but I am smarter.

If you disagree with them revert to first rule

31 minutes ago, TravelDivingAussie said:

That would give the building location.

Not his room, and the friends knew and went directly to his room.

Carman was well-known in the neighborhood and maybe her friend already knew.

28 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

First she had not been gone long. Second many girls in families come to BKK and pats to get a real job to help family get by.

Many old families know that there is an underground of girls that work in bars to find a farang ATM.

Most girls tell family they got a job working as a waitress.

The fact that she is 17 would add to the fact that she was not a bar girl as they gave to be 18 I believe.

More will come out but blaming mom and dad is asinine. If you have ever had teen kids you would know that they have 3 rules.

They are smarter than their parents

It might have happened to someone else but I am smarter.

If you disagree with them revert to first rule

And if you earn your living from that teen? What then? Everyone in the country knows the game. Surely you're not that much of a rube.

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

12 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Investigate whose friend and why?

You didn't read the article it seems, that helps, the murderer was due to meet his friend

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by scubascuba3

You didn't read the article, it seems. The article referenced the accused's friends and the prostitute's friends. Why should his friends be investigated...investigated for what? Why are you not calling for her friends to be investigated also?

22 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

You've got to draw the line somewhere but this guy went over the top.

The narrative thus far has managed to avoid the subject of prostitution or what a 17 year old girl was doing at the coconut bar, or how or why she was supporting her indigent parents. Her friends from the coconut bar knew where the man lived, which indicates that this probably wasn't a one time encounter.

Mentioning those subjects would not cast certain aspects of Thai culture in a positive light. Most uninitiated Western media consumers lack the wits or critical thinking skills to question any of these things. The Thais, however, know how to read between the lines. I'd put those skiving parents in an adjacent cell to the psycho Aussie.

Kudos to the friends though. I don’t know how they knew where Carmen lived but they visited there all prepared AND followed through by telling the police.

43 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You didn't read the article, it seems. The article referenced the accused's friends and the prostitute's friends. Why should his friends be investigated...investigated for what? Why are you not calling for her friends to be investigated also?

Look up birds of a feather, was the friend you and you cancelled prior to meeting him?

20 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Investigate the friend, birds of a feather

It’s a stretch to suggest police spend time investigating his friend when the friends only involvement was that he said he would not be arriving as scheduled to pick up his belongings.

Using that logic every single friend and acquaintance of this guy should be investigated because they are likely….well what? Murderers?

8 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Kudos to the friends though. I don’t know how they knew where Carmen lived but they visited there all prepared AND followed through by telling the police.

Obviously she told her friends via message.

4 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

It’s a stretch to suggest police spend time investigating his friend when the friends only involvement was that he said he would not be arriving as scheduled to pick up his belongings.

Using that logic every single friend and acquaintance of this guy should be investigated because they are likely….well what? Murderers?

Likely pedos like him.

7 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

It’s a stretch to suggest police spend time investigating his friend when the friends only involvement was that he said he would not be arriving as scheduled to pick up his belongings.

Using that logic every single friend and acquaintance of this guy should be investigated because they are likely….well what? Murderers?

Normal people who met him realised immediately he was best avoided, maybe you wouldn't pick up on it

9 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

It’s a stretch to suggest police spend time investigating his friend when the friends only involvement was that he said he would not be arriving as scheduled to pick up his belongings.

Using that logic every single friend and acquaintance of this guy should be investigated because they are likely….well what? Murderers?

Perhaps not murderers, but accomplices.

He / they may have aided and abetted in the disposal of the body. Eg. given him instructions on what to do after the murder.

This is why I posted in another thread that they should check his phone records around the time of the murder.