A 46-year-old Australian man has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok after the body of a 17-year-old Thai girl was found in a suitcase in Pattaya, according to local police and media reports. The man was stopped at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Friday while preparing to board a Jetstar flight to Perth.
Arrest and Investigation
Thai immigration officers detained the suspect at the airport, as shown in images released by local media. Police in Pattaya stated that the man is allegedly connected to the teenager's death, and he denies involvement in her abduction and murder. A police official in Pattaya told Agence France-Presse that the suspect was taken into custody after an interrogation.
Investigators are awaiting the results of a postmortem examination and other evidence before filing formal charges, the official said. Potential charges include child abduction, murder, hiding a corpse, and abduction of a minor for sexual purposes, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Evidence and CCTV Footage
Police allege that CCTV footage shows the suspect entering an apartment in Pattaya in the early hours of Thursday with the 17-year-old girl. He reportedly emerged several hours later carrying a large black suitcase, which he transported on the back of a motorbike. The suitcase was found on Friday near a railway track, containing the victim's body with signs of violence, according to the Pattaya News.
Additional CCTV footage shared by Pattaya 24 News shows the girl holding hands with a man of Caucasian appearance while waiting for an elevator shortly after 3:30 a.m. on Thursday. Another clip shows the man taking a suitcase out of the building.
Police Actions and Charges
Pattaya city police requested a watch notice at the airport to prevent the man from leaving Thailand while they investigated his alleged connection to the teenager, as reported by Nation Thailand. Police questioned the suspect, who then provided information about where the suitcase had been discarded. Immigration officers coordinated with Pattaya City Police to locate the body based on that information.
The man has been arrested on charges related to murder and concealment of a body, according to Nation Thailand. A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that consular assistance is being provided to the Australian detained in Thailand, but declined further comment due to privacy obligations.
