The candlelight service was held on Bang Tao Beach in front of the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket resort, where Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf had stayed after arriving in Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox scheme.
Joining the service, which began at 6:30pm, were Swiss honorary consul for Phuket Andrea Kotas Tammathin, Vice Governors Pichet Panapong and Piyapong Choowong, and high-ranking officers of the local police including Maj Gen Saksira Phuak-am, Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, currently serving as the Acting Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police.
Also present were members of the local community and staff from the resort.
As the sun set on the western horizon, bouquets of white flowers were laid in front of an image of Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf with a circle of white candles placed before it.
“Today we all come together to pay tribute to Ms Nicole at this beach because we know Nicole loved the sea, loved the beach and saw Phuket as a second home,” Governor Narong said.
“I, as a representative of the people of Phuket, offer my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family, relatives, siblings and friends of Ms Nicole. The departure of Ms Nicole was a huge loss, not just for us as individuals, but also for the Phuket community, the Phuket Sandbox project and for Thailand as a whole.
“I wish Ms Nicole’s departure to be the last loss that will happen in Phuket. As a representative of the Phuket government and other government agencies, we will do our best to make Phuket a safe and pleasant place to live for all life on the island, including tourists who come to visit.”