Aussie suitcase killer's teen victim laid to rest at funeral in her home town
The teenage victim of Aussie suitcase killer Simon Carman was laid to rest in her hometown today - with her devastated father calling for the death penalty.
Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, was choked to death by the perverted sex tourist who picked her up from a beach in Pattaya, Thailand, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Carman stuffed her petite body in a 26-inch black suitcase before strapping it to his rented scooter and dumping it alongside a nearby railway line later that evening.
He was arrested at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport the next day as he tried to flee the country. Speaking softly, he initially denied killing the teenager before later confessing when shown the evidence.
He apologised to her family but claimed he had killed her in self-defence when she produced a knife in an argument over money.
Tunchanok was taken back to her home town in Kalasin province in the northeast of the country, where she was cremated at a temple today in accordance with Buddhist traditions.
Speaking in the video, her father, Thongchai, 46, said: 'I am thankful to everyone who has helped to bring justice for my daughter. I'm proud of the work of the Thai police. There are good police officers who are kind-hearted.
‘I feel the deepest sorrow over this. Even though I am poor, regardless of how society views it, no father would want their child to do what people are speaking of.
‘Before she left, my daughter said she wanted to see the sea because she had never seen it before. That was her dream and I just wanted her to be happy.
'She was a very loving, fun young girl. She was innocent and only saw the good things in the world and in people. She loved to laugh and have fun with her family and friends.
‘As her father, I always told her to take good care of herself whenever she left home because I could not be by her side all the time. She promised she would.
‘I first learned what had happened when I saw footage of the suitcase being dragged. I thought my daughter must have been lured away to be killed or raped.
‘Perhaps we are simply unfortunate. I never imagined that I would have to bring my daughter's body home. The person who killed my child is utterly heartless.
'The death penalty would be acceptable for him. He took my daughter's life away, so he does not deserve to continue living.'
Thongchai said he did not expect the suspect to be arrested, as he had not spent any money pursuing the case.
He praised the efforts of Thai police and thanked everyone who cared about his daughter and assisted the investigation, including those who helped obtain CCTV footage.
He said one of Tunchanok's friends was unable to obtain the CCTV footage from the hotel and take it to the police for them to pursue the case quickly.
The father insisted that his daughter had been living in Bangkok but had travelled to Pattaya for a holiday, stressing that although his family was poor, he would never have exploited or sold his daughter.
He said no family should have to experience such a tragedy and hoped the case would serve as a lesson for other families.
Thongchai also thanked donors who had helped to cover the cost of the funeral.
He added: ‘During the journey home with my daughter's body, it felt as though she was sitting beside me in the car.
‘My wife, her stepmother, asked why she only stayed close to her father and did not come to her.
‘My daughter was playful and loved teasing me. I was the only one who could sense her presence, which people said was because of our bond.
‘Before she passed away, a friend said they heard the sound of her shoes walking inside the house.
‘At the time, I said, 'Are you crazy? She is in Bangkok'. I never imagined that she would die that day.
‘I do not blame anyone on social media for criticising the situation. However, from the perspective of a parent, no one wants their child to die.
‘If we must be poor, let us be poor at home. If we must die, let us die at home.'
