An Australian man has been arrested at a Thai airport in connection with the alleged murder of a 17-year-old girl whose body was found in a suitcase, according to local media reports.
The 46-year-old was stopped at about 9.30pm on Friday while preparing to travel on Jetstar flight to Perth, according to the Nation Thailand.
Images show Thai immigration officers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport taking the man in custody.
Police arrested the man as they investigated his alleged connection to the Thai teenager whose body was found in a suitcase behind the Floating Market in Pattaya, on Thailand’s eastern Gulf coast, local media outlet the Pattaya News reported.
In a statement released on social media, Pattaya police confirmed officers had found the body of the teenage girl after investigating her disappearance. The police also confirmed that an Australian national was detained at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport while allegedly attempting to flee the country in connection with the case.
Pattaya 24 News shared CCTV footage on their social media of the girl holding hands with a man of caucasian appearance while waiting for an elevator shortly after 3.30am on Thursday. They also shared CCTV footage of the man taking a suitcase out of the building.
Pattaya City Police Station requested a watch notice to immigration officers at the airport to prevent the man leaving Thailand as they investigated his alleged connection to the teenager, the Nation Thailand reported.
Police questioned the suspect, who then gave information about where the suitcase had allegedly been discarded.
“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,” the local outlet stated.
The discovery led police to proceed with legal action on charges related to murder and concealment of a body, according to the Nation.
A spokesperson for the Australian department of foreign affairs and trade confirmed the department “is providing consular assistance to an Australian detained in Thailand”.
“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”