Australian man arrested in Thailand following discovery of 17-year-old’s body in suitcase

Thai police reportedly arrested an Australian man over the alleged murder of a 17-years-old girl whose naked body was found inside a suitcase near the resort city of Pattaya, according to details revealed by local police.

The 46-year-old was detained on Friday while preparing to board for a Jetstar flight to Perth. Meanwhile, police arrested the man after discovering his connection to the Thai teenager. 

The suspect who denied any connection in the abduction of the Thai teenager was taken into custody after a cross-examination, confirmed by police officials in the resort city of Pattaya. Notably, the body showed signs of abuse.

In the official public announcement broadcast digitally, police also confirmed that an Australian national was detained at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport while attempting to flee the country in connection with the case. 

Pattaya city police station has further requested a deportation notice at the airport to prevent the man leaving Thailand while they conduct a deep-dive investigation to uncover the truth to the teenager. Police are currently questioning the suspect in order to obtain information about where the suitcase was allegedly discarded.  

In this connection, the local outlet said: “ After receiving the information, Immigration officers coordinated with investigators from Pattaya City Police Station, who rushed to inspect the location. Officers later found the body of [the teenage girl] based on the information provided during questioning,” 

Nonetheless, a spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and trade confirmed the department is focusing on providing relevant consular assistance to an Australian detained in Thailand.