'Deeply saddened': Parents of Thai girl found dead in suitcase

<p>The father and stepmother of a 17-year-old girl who was found dead in a suitcase in Thailand have spoken out over the death, saying they are "deeply saddened" by their loss. </p> <p>Tunchanok Donhomla was found dead in a large suitcase near railway tracks in Pattaya late last week, according to local reporting.</p> <p>On Friday, 45-year-old Australian national Simon Peter Carman was charged with murder over her death. </p> <p>CCTV had allegedly shown Carman walking through a hotel lobby with Donhomla at around 3.30am (local time) on Thursday, and leaving again with the black suitcase at around 9.30pm the same day.</p> <p>Previously, Carman had <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/06/29/alleged-killer-says-thai-suitcase-death-was-out-of-my-control/" target="_blank">reportedly claimed</a> to authorities he acted in self-defence, and said the death was "out of my control".</p> <p>He was charged with murder, concealment of a body, moving or destroying a body, and taking a minor aged between 15 and 18 for sexual purposes.</p> <p>Speaking to a local reporter over the weekend, the 46-year-old father of Donhomla said through tears: "My daughter had no mother (as they broke up), so whenever she wanted anything, she would find a way herself, and she always helped me too."</p> <p>Donhomla's stepmother said when they couldn't get in contact with her, they had "rushed over".</p> <p>"We had seen a clip by someone showing a suitcase from the room the foreigner had rented, it looked bulging and heavy. We had seen cases like this in the news before, so we were afraid our daughter had been murdered.</p> <p>"We kept telling ourselves she must have hidden in the room, that she was probably scared of the foreigner. We talked between the two of us, but neither of us dared say it out loud. We were scared. We just hoped it wouldn't turn out the way we feared. Now our eyes are swollen from crying."</p> <p>The stepmother also said she told police she wanted the alleged killer executed.</p> <p>"As a (step)mother, I don't know what else to say. I just want him executed. I said it this morning. I even asked the police if I could hit him, if I could beat him. Please, just let me. The police told me not to, that he would face the full (consequences) regardless."</p>