Australian denies murdering Thai teenager in Pattaya

An Australian accused of murdering a Thai teenager and stuffing her body in a suitcase pleaded not guilty Friday in a hearing in the seaside resort city of Pattaya, a court official said.

Simon Peter Carman, 45, was arrested at a Bangkok airport on June 26 as he prepared to take a flight back to Australia, after the 17-year-old victim's friend reported her missing.

Her body was found in a suitcase near a railway track in Pattaya, a city south of Bangkok, early the next day.

Police said she died of suffocation.

A suitcase in which police later found the body of a 17-year-old Thai girl lies in a grassy area near a railway track where it was discovered in Pattaya City, Thailand on Jun 27, 2026. Photo by Reuters

Carman appeared on Friday at Pattaya Provincial Court, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges, a court spokesperson told AFP.

He had been charged with murder, concealing a body and taking a minor for indecent purposes. The next court date was set for Oct. 12.

Police previously said CCTV footage showed him entering a condominium in Pattaya with the girl in the early hours of June 25, and leaving that evening carrying a large black suitcase.

The case put the spotlight on Pattaya, which is popular with foreign tourists for its beaches and nightlife, but also has a reputation for sex tourism.