Australian Man Accused of Killing 17-Year-Old Thai Sex Worker in Pattaya

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A 45-year-old Australian man, Simon Peter Carman, is accused of killing a 17-year-old Thai sex worker, Thanchanok Donhomla, also known as Cake, in Pattaya. Cake was found strangled and stuffed inside a suitcase discarded in long grass by the railway.

Pattaya, known as the sex capital of the world, is a city in Thailand's Chonburi province. The city has an estimated 50,000 sex workers, and the majority of them are women from poor backgrounds. They come from provinces or surrounding countries such as Cambodia and Laos.

Lulu, a 30-year-old bar girl on Walking Street, said she takes clients into rooms on or near the premises of the bar, charging the equivalent of $130 for a session. With three or four clients a week, it is decent money, almost all of which she sends home to her family in Laos.

The victim, Thanchanok Donhomla, was from a small town in Thailand's north-east. Her father, Thongchai Donhomla, found her lifeless body on Monday. Neighbours described the accused, Simon Peter Carman, as slow-talking and slow-moving, but amiable.

Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, a former member of parliament and advocate for sex workers and marginalised communities, says the tragedy highlights the lack of safeguards for people in the sex industry. She wants laws changed to allow safe spaces and accountability.

‘The tragedy is that there are virtually no safeguards for people in that profession. A worker's workplace would be known, colleagues would know who they had left with, and there would be records showing where they had gone,’ Kamolwongwat said.

A study has shown that thousands of Thailand's sex workers come from crushing poverty in the provinces or surrounding countries. The case of Thanchanok Donhomla is especially heartbreaking because she was only 17 and reflects the economic pressures facing many families.

It's impossible to know how many of the 4.5 million foreigners who visited Chonburi province in the first half of this year indulged in paid Pattaya sex. Few will admit such a thing.

Thai police claim the killer is an Australian, Simon Peter Carman, 45.

‘It's so scary,’ Lulu said, briskly rubbing her bare shoulders, mimicking a chill.

‘She was only 17, and it reflects the economic pressures facing many families, where poverty pushes young women into work that doesn’t just expose them to exploitation but can put their lives at risk,’ Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat said.

The accused, Simon Peter Carman, was known to locals from his long-term accommodation. Neighbours described him as someone who liked his own way and could be aggressive at drunks making nuisances of themselves in the building.

Thai police have launched an investigation into the murder, and authorities are yet to confirm whether Simon Peter Carman will face trial.

And this case is the latest in a string of violent crimes in Pattaya, where sex workers are not only vulnerable to violence but also exploited by those who profit from the industry.

A former member of parliament and advocate for sex workers has called for changes to Thailand's laws to allow safe spaces and accountability for sex workers.

‘The tragedy is that there are virtually no safeguards for people in that profession,’ Kamolwongwat said.

A study has shown that thousands of Thailand's sex workers come from crushing poverty in the provinces or surrounding countries. The case of Thanchanok Donhomla is especially heartbreaking because she was only 17 and reflects the economic pressures facing many families.

It's impossible to know how many of the 4.5 million foreigners who visited Chonburi province in the first half of this year indulged in paid Pattaya sex. Few will admit such a thing.

Thai police claim the killer is an Australian, Simon Peter Carman, 45.

The city of Pattaya is a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year. But it's not just the sun, sea, and sand that draws people to the city. Pattaya is also famous for its sex tourism industry, which has been thriving for decades.

Lulu, a 30-year-old bar girl on Walking Street, said she takes clients into rooms on or near the premises of the bar, charging the equivalent of $130 for a session. With three or four clients a week, it is decent money, almost all of which she sends home to her family in Laos.

Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, a former member of parliament and advocate for sex workers and marginalised communities, says the tragedy highlights the lack of safeguards for people in the sex industry. She wants laws changed to allow safe spaces and accountability.