The family of Tunchanok Donhomla, a 17-year-old Thai girl, held a vigil and cremation ceremony after she was allegedly murdered by an Australian man. The funeral plans were initially delayed as her body was held for an ongoing murder investigation.
Relatives and friends gathered at an open-air temple in Kalasin for a vigil on Tuesday night. A friend posted on social media that the body was expected to arrive home that evening, with the funeral to be held the following day. The invitation for the vigil read, "Come to send the sibling back to heaven."
Ms. Donhomla, known as 'Nong' to her friends, was allegedly strangled by Simon Peter Carman, 45, an Australian truck driver, in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police stated that her body was found stuffed into a suitcase and dumped near train tracks in Pattaya, eastern Thailand. Autopsy reports indicated facial injuries consistent with a violent assault, including swelling, bruising, and blood around her mouth and nose.
Carman was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Friday as he was allegedly attempting to flee back to Perth. He has been charged with murder, concealing and moving a body, and taking a minor aged between 15 and 18 for sexual purposes. He remains in police custody and has denied the allegations, claiming self-defense and stating Ms. Donhomla attacked him with a knife during an argument over money.
Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo stated that Carman confessed to assaulting the victim after an argument, possibly strangling her until she lost consciousness and died. He then panicked and placed her body in a suitcase, storing it in the bathroom for about a day before dumping it from his motorcycle.
Ms. Donhomla was last seen alive two days before her body was discovered. Friends raised the alarm when she did not return to their shared rental apartment. Hotel footage reportedly captured Ms. Donhomla with Carman shortly before her death. The apartment rented by Carman showed signs of disarray, with clothing strewn about and empty alcohol bottles on the refrigerator.
Ms. Donhomla's stepmother, Oradee Bussarakum, said the teenager had asked her grandmother for money to take a trip to the sea. Although she had not visited Pattaya before her death, social media posts from the months prior showed her tagging bars in the area. Her mother died when she was young, and she was raised by her father and stepmother, both of whom traveled to Pattaya to help search for her before learning her body had been found.