The Phuket Provincial Court handed down its sentence at 2pm yesterday (Mar 15).
Teerawat was facing charges of murder, attempted rape, theft and for taking methamphetamine and marijuana, read a notice issued by the Phuket Provicnial Office last night.
The defendant had entered a plea of guilty to the theft and drug charges, the notice confirmed.
The court heard how Teerawat was looking for orchids and other wild plants near the Ao Yon Waterfall on Aug 3 last year when at about midday he saw Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf near the popular tourist area. She was wearing a tank top and shorts, and sitting in the water in the stream.
Teerawat quietly approached her with the intent of raping her.
He locked his arm across her neck, causing her to choke.
When Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf struggled, Teerawat used his other arm to tighten his lock across her throat, ensuring she would choke.
During the struggle Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf ended up face down in the stream, where Teerawat continued to choke her and hold her face underwater.
After Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf had stopped struggling, Teerawat dragged her body to the bank of the stream. In the belief that she was only unconscious, he still intended to rape her.
He removed her shorts and underwear, but it was only after he had turned her face up that he saw by her eyes and her face that she was dead. At that he point he no longer wanted to rape his victim.
Teerawat covered her body with a black tarpaulin he had found nearby and weighed the tarpaulin in place with rocks. For this, he was also found guilty of attempting to conceal the body of a victim of a crime.
Teerawat then searched her bag for belongings to steal, and removed B300 that was in her pockets, then fled.
The court found that Teerawat could foreee that his actions would lead to the death of his victim, and hence found him guilty of causing the death of another person with premeditation, the notice explained.
As Teerawat had confessed to his actions, the court reduced his sentence to half for all charges against him except for murder, for which he is to serve life imprisonment at one place.
The court dismissed the charge of attempted rape.
The verdict and sentencing was read in the courtroom with husband Mark Emal Soven and his two sons in attendance by video conference from Switzerland.
Mr Soven thanked the Phuket Provincial Court, the Phuket Prosecutor and police officers who helped investigate and arrest Teerwat.
He also thanked local officials for the actions and assisting the family.
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