An Australian man accused of murdering a 17-year-old girl in Thailand has appeared in court and faced the victim’s grieving family for the first time.

Simon Carman, 45, is being held at Pattaya Remand Prison after being charged with the murder of Tunchanok Donhomla, whose body was found inside a suitcase near railway tracks in Pattaya.

Carman has denied murdering the teenager and told the court he acted in self-defence, claiming he did not know her real age.

Carman denies murder charge

During the hearing, Carman said he intended to plead guilty to concealing Tunchanok’s body but continued to deny the murder allegation.

He told the court he had been forced to defend himself after claiming the teenager held a knife to his neck.

Carman alleged that during a struggle he squeezed her jaw, not her neck, and that she later became unresponsive.

He told the judge: “I haven’t done anything to deserve this. I am innocent and you cannot lock up an innocent man.”

The judge reportedly advised him that admitting guilt to murder would allow him to argue self-defence, but Carman refused.

He said: “Why should I plead guilty? I would be lying to myself and everyone.”

Victim’s family confronts accused

During the hearing, Tunchanok’s cousin Khanitta Nongkhampoon confronted Carman and asked: “Why did you kill her?”

Carman replied: “I didn’t. She’s responsible for her own death. She had a knife to my throat.”

The court also heard discussions about possible compensation payments to the victim’s family, which can form part of Thai criminal proceedings.

Carman said he would not pay compensation because he maintained he had done nothing wrong, although he suggested he may help financially if released on bail.

His bail request was refused.

CCTV and evidence

Carman had initially pleaded not guilty to charges including intentional murder, concealing a corpse, moving or destroying a corpse, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes.

The court heard he may now admit the charge relating to hiding the victim’s body after being advised that evidence against him was strong.

Investigators have previously said CCTV footage showed Carman transporting the suitcase later found to contain Tunchanok’s body.

He was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport as he attempted to leave Thailand on a flight to Australia.

Carman’s account

Carman previously claimed he met Tunchanok on the street and that she followed him back to his accommodation.

He said he believed she was aged between 25 and 35 and did not know she was 17.

According to his account, he gave her 500 baht before she demanded more money and allegedly produced a knife.

He claimed he repeatedly asked her to put down the knife before she “went limp”.

When questioned about why he did not call an ambulance, Carman said he did not trust police.

Autopsy findings

An official post-mortem examination found that Tunchanok died from suffocation and also suffered a brain injury.

The investigation remains ongoing, and Carman remains in custody while Thai authorities continue legal proceedings.

A trial date has not yet been confirmed.