An Australian national has been arrested by Thai authorities after the body of a 17-year-old was found in a suitcase in Bangkok, according to wire reports on Saturday. Thai police confirmed the arrest; formal charges had not been laid as of time of publication.
Neither the Australian man's name nor the identity of the deceased has been released publicly. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was not available for immediate comment.
DFAT provides consular assistance to Australians detained overseas. If charges are laid, Australian officials will have access to the individual through consular channels under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Thailand's Criminal Procedure Code requires formal charges to be approved by a public prosecutor before a court date is scheduled; the preliminary investigation phase can take several weeks before that threshold is reached.
DFAT's Smartraveller advisory for Thailand is 'Exercise normal safety precautions.' It has not been updated in connection with this matter.
Thai authorities have not set a court date and have released no further official details on the circumstances. The case remains at the preliminary investigation stage.
