An Australian man has been charged with murder after the body of a 17-year-old girl was found in a suitcase in Thailand, proving once again that a vacation in Pattaya can go sideways in spectacular fashion.

Police in the coastal city of Pattaya said they found Tunchanok Donhomla "stuffed" in the bag, which had been discarded near a railway track, in the early hours of Saturday. The suspect, Simon Peter Carman, was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport as he was allegedly "preparing to flee the country." He denies the charges, claiming it was all out of his control - which, to be fair, is a convenient defense when you're allegedly stuffing someone into luggage.

Pattaya City Police reviewed CCTV footage that allegedly shows Carman entering a condominium with Donhomla at 03:34 on Thursday. Late that evening, he emerged alone "carrying a large suitcase." He loaded the bag onto a motorbike before driving towards a railway line. The teenager's naked body was found in a suitcase about 15 minutes after Carman's arrest at the airport, some 150km north of Pattaya.

Carman denied murder and further charges related to moving or concealing a body and taking a minor for sexual purposes, and claimed he had acted in self defense. Media reports state that Carman told police he had agreed to pay Donhomla 1,000 baht (£23) for sexual services, but that they had an argument when he offered only 500 baht. Because nothing says "self defense" like haggling over the price of sex with a minor.

Thai police told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Carman also claimed Donhomla had "disappeared from the room" while he was asleep. In a video recorded while in custody, Carman issued a message to the family, saying: "I feel bad for what happened to your daughter. It was out of my control." He added: "Please tell other girls… just to be careful." Sound advice from the man currently under arrest for murder.

Colonel Anek Srathongyoo told the ABC that Carman "has fingernail scratches across his body that are consistent with a struggle, but he denies killing her." When asked about the scratch marks in a police video, Carman replied: "I think it's a spider; they always get in here." Yes, the infamous Thai spider that leaves fingernail scratches. It's a known menace.

Donhomla's family said she was an only child who lived with her father and step-mother in Kalasin province. Her step-mother, Oradee Bussarakum, said: "I just want him executed ... I even asked the police if I could hit him." If convicted, Carman could face the death penalty, which is probably not the kind of souvenir he was hoping to take home.