
Dramatic new pHŕšĎographs have captured the heartbreaking moment a close friend of missing Thai teenager Tunchanok Donhomla went to Australian man Simon Carmanâs apartment searching for answersâunaware, police allege, that her friend had already been killed.
The images, released as investigators continue building their case, show the young woman confronting the 45-year-old Australian inside his small Pattaya condominium only hours before he was arrested while allegedly trying to leave Thailand.
Carman, who is originally from Perthâs southern suburbs, remains in custody after 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomlaâs body was found inside a black suitcase near railway tracks outside Pattaya last Friday night. Police allege the teenagerâs body had been left there the previous day.
Investigators claim Carman placed the teenager inside the suitcase before abandoning it in long grá´ss near the railway line. He was arrested later that evening at Bangkokâs Suvarnabhumi International Airport, just minutes before he was due to board a Jetstar flight to Perth.
Earlier that same Friday, one of Ms. Donhomlaâs closest friends launched a desperate search after the teenager failed to return home. Concern quickly grew when repeated attempts to contact her went unanswered.
Before disappearing, Ms. Donhomla had reportedly shared Carmanâs address with friends after the pair met on Jomtien Beach during the early hours of Thursday morning. Hoping she might still be there, her friend went directly to his apartment after notifying police that the teenager was missing.
She found no sign of Tunchanok.
What the young woman reportedly did not know was that investigators now believe her friend had already died by the time she knocked on Carmanâs door.
PHŕšĎographs obtained by the ABC show the confrontation unfolding inside Room 380 of the Rimhad Condominium in Jomtien. Wearing a black singlet, Carman is seen speaking with the worried woman inside the apartment.
The images also provide a rare look inside the condominium where Carman had reportedly lived for the previous eight months. Clothing is scattered across the floor, while household items are piled throughout the small living space.
The top of the refrigerator appears cluttered with cleaning products and several empty alcohol bottles. A small pink bow attached to the front door stands out against the worn appearance of the apartment.
Friends in Australia later described Carmanâs living conditions in harsh terms, claiming he âlived like a pig.â Those remarks surfaced as investigators continued examining the apartment following his arrest.
The building itself reflects the modest conditions of the neighborhood. A dim corridor leads to the apartment, with exposed electrical wiring suspended overhead and newspapers lining the transom windows above several doors.
Inside, the compact unit contains little more than a double bed, a television, a bedside table and a small couch. The confined layout leaves only narrow walkways between the furniture.
The newly released pHŕšĎographs have added another emotional dimension to a case that has deeply affected Ms. Donhomlaâs family and friends. Many say they are still struggling to understand how a holiday ended in tragedy.
The 17-year-old had reportedly arrived in Pattaya only nine days before her death. Friends described her as a quiet and kind young woman who had been looking forward to spending time in the popular beach city.
âShe is a well-behaved, friendly person but also timid,â one friend told the Daily Telegraph. Those who knew her say the news has left them devastated.
Carman has been charged with murder, concealing and moving a body, and taking a minor between the ages of 15 and 18 for SŃxual purposes. He denies the allegations and claims he acted in self-defense, alleging that Ms. Donhomla attacked him with a knife during an argument over money.
In recorded interviews released by Thai police, Carman addressed the teenagerâs family directly. âI feel bad for what happened to your daughter,â he said. âIt was out of my control.â
He is currently being held at Pattaya Remand Prison, where he is completing a mandatory 10-day isolation period before entering the general prison population. Authorities have not yet announced a date for his first court appearance.
Under Thai law, a murder conviction can carry either the death penalty or a prison sentence of between 15 and 20 years. If convicted, Carman is expected to be transferred to the maximum-security Bang Kwang Central Prison, a facility widely known as the âBangkok Hiltonâ and nicknamed by locals âThe Big Tigerâ because of its fearsome reputation.