Thai Police Confirm Teen Died in Suitcase – Autopsy Points to Suffocation

Sun Sep 06 2026 01:26:29 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Authorities say 17‑year‑old Tunchanok Donhomla died from suffocation after being found inside a suitcase in Pattaya, Thailand. The case involves a suspected murder, kidnapping and potential death penalty.

Authorities in Pattaya found the naked body of 17‑year‑old Tunchanok Donhomla inside a suitcase near a railway track, 15 minutes after arresting Australian man Simon Peter Carman. An autopsy revealed suffocation as the cause of death and brain injury as a secondary issue. DNA evidence linked Carman to the body, and police have charged him with murder, concealment, kidnapping and sexual assault. Anek Srathongyoo said the evidence is closed for prosecution by Friday, with a deadline of 18 September for indictment. The case sends a chilling warning to teenagers traveling abroad and raises questions about juvenile safety.

Police Confirm 17‑Year‑Old Died in Suitcase, Suffocation Found

Police in Pattaya, southern Thailand, confirmed that 17‑year‑old Tunchanok Donhomla’s body was found inside a suitcase near a railway track early on 27 June. According to the police, the body was discovered 15 minutes after an Australian national, 45‑year‑old Simon Peter Carman, was arrested for allegedly trying to leave Thailand with a child.

Chief Anek Srathongyoo told the BBC that the autopsy showed Tunchanok had died from suffocation. While “brain injury” was also noted, it was said not to be the cause of death, a fact he added might have occurred after the body was moved into the suitcase.

DNA found on the body matched Carman’s, and police are charging him with murder, concealment and transport of a child between the ages of 15 and 18, and claiming that child for an indecent act.

Carman admitted taking the girl out of the building it entered at 3:34 a.m. on 25 June, but denied the charges, claiming self‑defence. In a video released while he was in custody he offered a “message” to the family: “I feel bad for what happened to your daughter. It was out of my control,” he said, and pleaded “please tell other girls … to be careful.”

Police will submit the case to prosecutors by Friday, with a deadline to indict by 18 September. If convicted, Carman faces the death penalty. He was said to have offered Tunchanok 1,000 Baht for sexual services, but their argument over the payment added to the dispute. The girl’s family, who live 480 km north‑east of Pattaya, expressed their devastation and called for justice in the wake of the tragedy.