An Australian man has been charged with the murder of a 17-year-old Thai girl after her body was discovered inside a suitcase near a railway track in Pattaya.

Authorities arrested the suspect, Simon Peter Carman, at Bangkok’s airport while he was allegedly trying to leave Thailand.

Police say surveillance footage and other evidence connect Carman to the killing, though he denies the allegations and claims he acted in self-defense following a dispute over payment for sexual services.

The victim’s family says they are devastated by the loss and is calling for the maximum punishment if he is found guilty, the BBC has reported.

Under Thai law, a murder conviction could carry the death penalty.