An Australian national has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok in connection with the murder of a 17 year old Thai girl, local authorities and media report.

The 46-year-old suspect was detained by immigration officers on Friday evening while attempting to board a Jetstar flight to Perth. The arrest followed the discovery of the victim's body inside a suitcase found near a railway track behind the Floating Market in Pattaya.

According to Pattaya city police, investigators reviewed closed-circuit television footage that showed the suspect and the teenager entering an apartment building together early Thursday morning. Subsequent footage captured the suspect leaving the building hours later transporting a large black suitcase on a motorcycle.

Following his detention at the airport, the suspect provided information during police questioning regarding the location of the discarded suitcase, leading officers to the discovery.

The suspect has denied involvement in the abduction and murder. Pattaya police officials stated that investigators are awaiting postmortem results and additional evidence before formalizing charges. Potential charges under consideration include child abduction, murder, hiding a corpse, and abduction of a minor for sexual purposes.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance to a citizen detained in Thailand but declined to comment further, citing privacy obligations.