Australian arrested in suspected murder of Thai woman

An Australian man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Thailand.

According to local media reports, the suspect was detained by police at Suvarnabhumi Airport after the body of the Thai teenager was found in a black bag next to a railway in Pattaya.

Pattaya News and other Thai and Australian outlets identified the suspect as a 46-year-old from Ballarat.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman confirmed it was providing consular assistance to an Australian detained in Thailand but could not comment further due to confidentiality obligations.

CCTV footage obtained by Pattaya News 24 shows the victim entering an apartment complex in the resort with the suspect in the early morning hours of June 25.

A separate camera captures the suspect leaving the residential building alone later that evening, carrying a large black bag.

Local reports claim that the suitcase was loaded onto a motorcycle and later found by police near a railway track about four kilometers away.

The suspect, who was detained by immigration officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday, when he was scheduled to board a flight to Perth, reportedly denied any involvement in the young girl’s disappearance.

DFAT consular staff cannot provide legal advice or intervene in legal cases in foreign countries.

Their assistance is limited to monitoring welfare in prison, accessing local legal representation and ensuring communication with family.