WA man Simon Peter Carman pleads not guilty to murdering Thai teenager and hiding her body in suitcase

The West Australian man accused of murdering a Thai teenager and stuffing her body into a suitcase has pleaded not guilty during his first appearance in a Thailand courtroom.

Simon Carman has been in a Pattaya remand prison for nearly three months since being charged over the murder of Tunchanok Dunhomla, also known as “Cake”, in June.

The 45-year-old reportedly told the court in Pattaya on Friday that the pair never had sex.

According to media present, he said that he had gone for a long walk near the beach and wanted to go home to sleep but Thanchanok had followed him.

He then claimed the 17-year-old had asked for money and grabbed a knife from the kitchen when he did not have what she wanted, pointing it at his throat.

Mr Carman is accused of picking up the girl for sex about 3am on June 25 and taking her back to his unit on the outskirts of coastal Pattaya, about 150km south of Bangkok, before killing her and stuffing her body into one of his suitcases.

If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty under Thai law.