HE’S IN FOR HE-LL: EX-GOLD COAST LOAN SHARK LIVING IN THAILAND ISSUES GRIM WARNING ABOUT AUSTRALIAN MUR-DER SUSPECT’S LIFE BEHIND BA-RS
The Australian accused of murdering a teenage girl and putting her into a suitcase is being held in a sweltering Thai jail with a target on his back.
Inmates have to strip to their underwear and sleep on the concrete in a bid to stay cool in the police holding cell, which has no bed, no air conditioning – and not even any guaranteed food.
Simon Carman, 45, is accused of murdering Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, known as Nong Cake, and allegedly dumping her body in the suitcase in long grass beside railway tracks in Pattaya.
The Ballarat-born former truckie was arrested on Friday night at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as he attempted to board a Jetstar flight to Perth.
Carman is now being held in Pattaya’s notorious Soi 9 cells while detectives continue their investigation.
Unlike Australia, where prisoners receive three meals a day, a bed and basic comforts, detainees inside the Thai holding cells are left to fend for themselves.
Expat Tim ‘Sharky’ Ward, a former Gold Coast loan shark, has also spent time in those cells and warns that if malnutrition or disease don’t kill Carman, another prisoner may.
‘I could take him drinking water, cigarettes, food or chocolate milk – but I’m not going to,’ said Ward. ‘I don’t think too many other people will either.
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Simon Carman is accused of murder and being held by police in Pattaya ahead of his first court appearance
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The body of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla, known as Nong Cake, was allegedly crammed into a suitacse
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Ward said there are no showers in the holding cell unit, with detainees instead given only a bucket of water and a ladle
‘It’s hell in there. It’s hot, there isn’t much ventilation and there isn’t any airconditioning. Today will be another 30-plus degree day.
‘There’s no bed, no mattress and no pillow. You sleep on the concrete. The coolest place is the floor, so you strip down to your jocks and lie there.’
Ward said there are no showers, with detainees given only a bucket of water and a ladle.
‘You pour water over yourself to cool down, but that’s where all the Thai boys sit because they’re trying to keep cool too,’ he said.
‘I don’t see him stepping over them to get to the water. He’ll probably be hiding in a corner somewhere.’
Ward said even the most basic necessities are not provided.
‘Where he is, there is no food supplied. You have to rely on other people, or if you have money, you can buy food,’ he explained.
‘I did read that the Australian consulate is going to offer support, so maybe they will take him some drinking water and some food.’
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Tim ‘Sharky’ Ward, a former Gold Coast loan shark, previously spent time inside the same cells as Carman and claims that if malnutrition or disease don’t kill the alleged killer, another prisoner may
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After the police holding cell, prisoners are taken to Pattaya Prison
The ex-crim said Carman will remain in the holding cells while police complete their investigation, including taking him back through the alleged crime scene as part of Thailand’s crime reconstruction process.
‘They’ll walk him through what they say he did, where he went and where he dumped the suitcase,’ Ward said.
‘They do that over here because it’s all part of the evidence. They take you back to the scene and have you point out what happened.’
Ward fled Australia during the pandemic to live permanently in Thailand but has had multiple run-ins with local authorities over the years.
He said his own experiences were very different though, because he was able to buy his freedom before entering the prison system.
‘This week (Carman) will have his first court appearance,’ Ward posted on social media.
‘For people like you and me, that’s the opportunity to go home.
‘They’ll fingerprint you, process you and put the handcuffs on. Then they’ll pull you aside and ask, “Do you want to go home?”
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Carman will be asked to walk police through the crime scene as part of the investigation
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Ward fled Australia during the pandemic to live permanently in Thailand but has had multiple run-ins with local authorities over the years
‘They’ll give you a figure. It might be 20,000 baht or 80,000 baht. It’s not negotiable. You either pay it or you don’t.
‘I always tell people if you ever get that opportunity, pay it, because that’s your chance to walk out.’
He said there was ‘no way in hell’ Carman will be offered that same deal because of the serious allegations and the international attention surrounding the case.
The expat who has lived in the area on-and-off for more than a decade also claimed cases involving alleged violence against Thai nationals are treated far more seriously than disputes involving foreigners.
‘Foreigners can fight among themselves, but if you hurt a Thai person, it puts it on another completely different level,’ he said.
Ward believes Carman now faces a grim future.
‘If the Thai boys don’t get him, the malnutrition, disease and mental deterioration will.
‘There is no good ending for this guy. It’s just going to be hell from now on.’
However, Ward believes Carman’s public apology to Ms Donhomla’s family could ultimately work in his favour.
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The expat who has lived in the area on and off for more than a decade also claimed cases involving alleged violence against Thai nationals are treated far more seriously
‘It was a pathetic apology, but in countries like Thailand showing remorse and offering compensation to the family can sometimes help,’ he said.
But Ward doubts Carman has the money to do so.
‘According to him, this whole thing was over 500 baht. That’s less than AU$20,’ he added.
‘A young girl lost her life over less than $20. There is no good ending for this guy.’
SOURCE: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15940237/simon-carman-thai-jail-cell-conditions-pattaya-detention.html
