Thai court sentences German tourist killer to death

A Thai man has been sentenced to death for raping and murdering a German tourist on a popular resort island.

The Chonburi provincial court, in a ruling seen Friday, sentenced Ronnakorn Romruen to death after he confessed.

It convicted him of rape, murder, concealing the body and driving a motorcycle under the influence of methamphetamine.

The court ruled that Ronnakorn raped the 27-year-old victim and then killed her by bludgeoning her head with a rock.

Ronnakorn was arrested in April after police discovered the body under rocks and leaves.

Koh Si Chang is a popular tourist destination with a population of 5,000 people.

The island is in Chonburi province, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Bangkok.