Australian truck driver Simon Carman, 45, has provided police with his account of the events leading to the death of 17-year-old Tunchanok 'Cake' Donhomla in his Pattaya condominium. Carman, who had been living in Thailand for 10 months on a student visa, claims he killed the teenager accidentally.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, Carman told authorities that Ms. Donhomla, along with two companions, approached him on Jomtien Beach offering sexual services. Carman claims he declined, but the teenager accompanied him to his apartment. CCTV footage shows them entering his building together at 3:34 a.m. on Thursday, June 25.
Inside the apartment, which investigators noted was cluttered with empty alcohol bottles and personal belongings, Carman said he and Ms. Donhomla attempted to negotiate a price using Google Translate. Carman alleges that the situation escalated when Ms. Donhomla changed her mind, demanded money, and then pulled out a flick knife, holding it to his throat. He claims he panicked, grabbed her wrists, and then placed his hands around her neck, not realizing how tightly he was holding her until she stopped struggling and collapsed.
Carman has allegedly admitted to gripping Ms. Donhomla's neck, but his account forms the basis of a potential self-defense claim. He told investigators he did not trust Thai authorities due to past experiences and feared being fined or prosecuted. He also stated he had forgotten to take medication for a nerve condition that he claims can impair his judgment.
Upon realizing Ms. Donhomla was deceased, Carman reportedly placed her body into a suitcase and put the knife on top of his refrigerator before going to bed. He was arrested on June 26 at Bangkok's airport while attempting to fly to Perth. Police inspected the suitcase containing the teenager's body on June 27. The girl's parents traveled from northern Thailand to collect her body.