Australian suspect says he killed Thai girl in self-defence

Australian man Simon Peter Carman, 45, claims he killed a 17-year-old Thai girl in self-defence, according to an interview with ABC Australia inside Pattaya Prison. Carman was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi International Airport after CCTV footage revealed him transporting a suitcase containing the victim's body. Police also discovered his DNA on the deceased.

The suitcase was discovered abandoned near railway tracks in Chaiyaphruek, Chon Buri, two days after Carman exited his Pattaya condominium. During the interview, Carman denied intending to murder the girl and maintained his innocence, expressing hope and prayer for his release. He stated, "I did nothing wrong. I should not be here...

I don’t understand what happened." According to Carman, he met the girl near Jomtien Beach early on June 25 and took her to his 15-story condominium. CCTV footage showed them holding hands at 3:34 am, but Carman maintained that he believed the girl was between 20 and 30 years old and did not recognize her age as under 18. He claimed that after an argument over money, she produced a knife and threatened him, leading him to strangle her in an attempt to restrain her.

Carman admitted placing her body inside the suitcase before transporting it to a roadside location near the railway track. The victim's family has demanded the court impose the death penalty, and the case file is being prepared for submission to prosecutors in mid-September.