Breaking: Australian accused of murdering Thai teenager pleads not guilty - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Breaking: Australian accused of murdering Thai teenager pleads not guilty  ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Simon Carman was arrested in Thailand in late June. (AP/ViralPress)

An Australian man accused of murdering a 17-year-old girl in Thailand after picking her up in Pattaya has fronted court for the first time.

Simon Peter Carman, 45, pleaded not guilty to all four charges and told the court he acted in self-defence.

The next court date is set for October 12.

Simon Peter Carman, the Australian man accused of murdering Thai teenager Tunchanok Donhomla in June, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Mr Carman fronted the Pattaya Provincial Court in Thailand today in his first court appearance since the 17-year-old girl's death.

He is facing four charges including murder, concealing a corpse, and abducting a minor over 15 but under 18 for indecent purposes.

Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, was from the Kalasin province in Thailand. (Supplied: Pattaya Police)

The 45-year-old pleaded not guilty to all charges and told the court he had acted in self-defence.

He also urged the court to grant him bail and said that he did not pose a flight risk.

Prosecutors objected to the bail application.

Mr Carman was represented in court by lawyer Sorasit Pongin, who told the ABC he had been retained by the 45-year-old's mother.

"He denies all charges," the lawyer said.

"This case will likely take a considerable amount of time … roughly six to eight months starting from today."

Thai police have accused Mr Carman of picking up Ms Tunchanok along Pattaya's popular Beach Road in June, then killing her and discarding the body.

The 17-year-old was last seen alive on CCTV walking hand in hand with Mr Carman into the elevators of his condo building about 3:30am on June 25.

Mr Carman was captured on CCTV later that night dragging a large suitcase out of his room and then transporting it on the back of a motorcycle.

CCTV captured what police allege is Simon Carman riding a motorcycle with a suitcase strapped on the back. (Supplied)

Police found Ms Tunchanok's body, which had been stuffed into a suitcase and dumped along railway tracks near Mr Carman's accommodation, two days later.

Mr Carman was arrested at Bangkok's international airport on June 27 while trying to board a Jetstar flight to Perth.

He has been held in Thai police custody since.

The next court date is set for October 12.

Original Source
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-18/australian-simon-carman-faces-court-over-thai-teen-death/107160424
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