‘It Would Be Very Dangerous’: Why Prison Officials Are Keeping Australian Suspect Away From Other Inmates
The Australian truck driver accused over the death of a 17-year-old Thai girl is being housed away from the general prison population after Thai authorities determined it would be too dangerous for him to mix with other inmates.
Simon Carman, 45, from Perth’s southern suburbs, remains in custody at Pattaya Remand Prison after police accused him in connection with the death of Tunchanok Donhomla, 17. Investigators allege he strangled the teenager before placing her body inside a suitcase and leaving it in long grass near railway tracks outside Pattaya.
Carman was arrested at Bangkok’s main international airport on Friday after police alleged he was preparing to leave Thailand on a flight bound for Australia.
He denies murder and has claimed he acted in self-defense. Police say the investigation remains ongoing.
On Thursday, prison officials told the Daily Mail that Carman has shown virtually no visible emotion since arriving behind bars, describing his demeanor as calm and unchanged despite the gravity of the allegations.
According to prison staff, he has not cried, appeared distressed, or shown any outward signs of grief for himself or the teenager whose death is at the center of the investigation.
At the same time, Carman appears to have been left almost entirely alone.
Officials say none of his family members have visited since his arrest, no travel arrangements have been made to see him, and no local Australian expatriates or friends have come forward to request visitation.
Instead of being placed in a standard prison cell, Carman was transferred on Tuesday from police holding cells to the hospital wing of Pattaya Remand Prison, where authorities say he is being housed as a precaution.
“He is in a ward with around five other men,” a jail commander told the Daily Mail.
“He is not sick, but we keep him there because he is a hard prisoner. This is our policy when you are a hard prisoner.”
Despite the description, prison authorities stressed Carman is not considered a danger to fellow inmates.
Instead, officials are concerned that placing a foreign suspect accused in such a high-profile case among the general prison population could put his own safety at risk.
The commander declined to reveal the specific offenses committed by the other inmates sharing the hospital ward, saying only that they were not facing serious or violent charges.
“They are in the hospital for treatment because they are sick or injured,” she explained.
Life inside Pattaya Remand Prison follows a tightly controlled routine beginning with a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call.
Inmates are given about 30 minutes to wash themselves and clean their sleeping areas before receiving a simple breakfast. At 8 a.m., prisoners assemble, often participating in the singing of Thailand’s national anthem before beginning the day’s schedule.
Family visits are permitted only on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and some meetings last as little as ten minutes.
However, Daily Mail has learned Carman will not be eligible to receive visitors for at least another ten days. Officials also confirmed there have been no visitation requests from either Carman or any members of his family.
“Visitors must bring ID to prove they are family, or he must submit names for us to check,” the commander said.
“No visitors are coming. He has not asked, and no one has come here.”
The veteran prison official, who has spent more than a decade overseeing inmates, said Carman’s behavior has remained remarkably consistent throughout his detention.
“He does not cry, he does not look sad,” she said.
“He is normal. Just normal. Not even a little bit. Nothing. He is fine.”
While describing him as a cooperative prisoner who has caused no disciplinary issues, she said prison authorities believe housing him alongside the wider inmate population would present an unacceptable security risk.
“He is not a problem prisoner for us but he cannot be in a cell because it would be very dangerous for him if he was inside with Thai,” she said.
“It is very bad.”
If convicted, Carman could face life imprisonment or, depending on the outcome of the judicial process, one of Thailand’s most severe criminal penalties.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed it is providing Carman with consular assistance while legal proceedings continue in Thailand.