Mr Carman faces four charges: intentional murder, concealing a corpse, moving or destroying a corpse, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes. At Pattaya Provincial Court today, the presiding judge spoke directly to Mr Carman through a translator, urging him to plead guilty to concealing a corpse after telling him CCTV footage showed him dragging a suitcase out of the lobby of the building where he was staying. Two days later, police found Ms Tunchanok's body inside a suitcase dumped along railway tracks near his accommodation.
The judge also urged Mr Carman to plead guilty to the murder charge so the Australian could argue self-defence, but Mr Carman refused. "Why should I plead guilty? I would be lying to myself and everyone," he said in court. He did, however, agree to plead guilty to concealing a corpse.
Mr Carman has maintained his innocence and previously said the teenager was "responsible for her own death". If found guilty of murder, he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty in Thailand.
Meanwhile, the court heard that Ms Tunchanok's family is seeking compensation. Her cousin, Khanitta Nongkhampoon, told the ABC the family had filed a civil lawsuit against Mr Carman, seeking 1.65 million baht (about A$70,500) to cover funeral expenses and the financial support her daughter would have provided. In Thailand, victims of crime and their families may lodge civil cases for compensation alongside criminal prosecution.
Ms Tunchanok's father, Thongchai Donhomla, said his grief remained overwhelming almost four months after her death. "Normally, she would be at home when I get back from work. I would see her every day. Now when I go back, there's nothing left but emptiness," he said. "I want the case to be pursued to the fullest extent. Deep down, I wish for the death penalty, but I think it probably won't go that far."