An Australian national has been formally charged with murder in Thailand following the discovery of a young girl’s body inside a suitcase in a hotel room in the coastal resort town of Pattaya. The incident has prompted a consular response from the British embassy, as the victim is believed to be a British citizen.
The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Lachlan Harris from Melbourne, was arrested at a guesthouse near the beachfront early on Tuesday morning. Police said they acted on a tip-off from hotel staff, who reported a foul odour emanating from the room. Inside a large suitcase, officers found the body of a girl, estimated to be between 9 and 12 years old, bearing signs of strangulation.
Thai police commissioner General Sarayuth Sanguanphokai told reporters that Harris had checked into the hotel three days earlier. CCTV footage shows him checking in alone. The room was booked until the end of the week. General Sarayuth said the suspect had been cooperative during initial questioning but offered no explanation for the crime. He added that Harris was being transferred to a high-security prison in Bangkok pending further investigation.
The British embassy in Bangkok confirmed it was providing consular assistance to the victim’s family. A spokesperson said: “We are in contact with the local authorities and stand ready to support the family at this difficult time.” The Foreign Office in London declined to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns, but confirmed that a team from the British embassy had visited the forensic police lab in Pattaya.
The case has quickly become a diplomatic talking point. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was “closely monitoring” the situation and would offer consular support to Harris, though he stressed that “the rule of law in Thailand must take its course.” The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that consular officers had been dispatched to Pattaya.
Thailand has seen a number of high-profile murder cases involving foreign nationals in recent years, though such crimes remain rare. In 2014, a British backpacker was convicted of murdering a Thai woman in Koh Tao, a case that drew widespread attention and raised questions about the integrity of the Thai justice system.
Legal experts said Harris could face the death penalty if convicted under Thai law, which mandates capital punishment for premeditated murder. However, foreign nationals convicted of murder in Thailand have often had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment after diplomatic interventions.
The victim’s identity has not been officially released pending notification of next of kin. Local reports suggest she may have been a Thai national, but British authorities have indicated they believe she was a British citizen.
This case is the latest in a series of violent incidents involving tourists in popular Thai resorts. In February, a Spanish tourist was found dead in a hotel room in Phuket. Police have not linked the cases.
Analysts said the case would test the bilateral relationship between the UK and Thailand, as well as the ability of the British embassy to secure a fair trial for the accused. The integrity of Thailand’s judicial processes and the transparency of the investigation will be under scrutiny from international observers.
