Thai police have arrested an Australian man, Simon Carman, 46, in connection with the death of a 17-year-old girl whose body was discovered stuffed inside a suitcase near railway tracks in Pattaya. Carman, from Perth, faces charges related to the murder of Tunchanok Donhomla, known as Cake. Police allege Carman stuffed the teenager's body into the suitcase after an altercation over payment at his hotel and attempted to flee the country. A preliminary examination suggests Donhomla died of strangulation.
Carman reportedly met Donhomla in Pattaya's nightlife district. Police claim they had agreed on a payment of 1,000 baht, but an argument ensued when Carman allegedly offered only 500 baht. Carman has denied the murder, asserting he acted in self-defense. Donhomla's parents have traveled from their home province and expressed a desire for Carman to face severe legal consequences, including the death penalty.
Thailand has a death penalty for serious offenses like premeditated murder, although executions are rare and sentences can be commuted to life imprisonment. The country's last execution was in 2018.
Unsolved Cases in Pattaya
Donhomla's death marks the third instance in less than two years of a woman's body being found concealed within luggage in the Pattaya area. Thai authorities are investigating potential links between these cases due to striking similarities. The two earlier murders remain unsolved.
In September 2025, the bound body of a woman, believed to be in her early 30s, was discovered inside a suitcase floating in a Pattaya reservoir. The luggage, secured with chains and padlocks, was spotted by a member of Thailand's national rowing team. Investigators believe the victim was a foreign national who had undergone extensive cosmetic surgery. No fingerprint match was found, and detectives suspect asphyxiation as the cause of death.
Eight months prior to that discovery, in February 2025, a local fisherman found a suitcase floating near a golf course in Ban Chang, approximately 14 kilometers from Pattaya. Inside was the naked body of a woman in a state of decomposition. Both this suitcase and the one found in the reservoir had been weighted down with dumbbells in an apparent attempt to prevent them from surfacing. The identities of these two victims remain unknown.
Pattaya, a popular tourist destination, has a history associated with high-profile crime, including violent assaults and unexplained deaths. The similarities among the suitcase discoveries have prompted authorities to explore a potential connection between the cases.