Miriam Beelte, pictured, had been on holiday in Thailand when she travelled alone to the island of Koh Si Chang where she was raped and murdered on April 7

A Thai man who raped and murdered a German backpacker has been sentenced to death

Ronnakorn Romruen, 24, attacked Miriam Beelte, 26, as she visited a historic stone monument on the island of Koh Si Chang, eastern Thailand, on April 7.

He then raped her before battering her head with a rock to kill her and stop her reporting the attack.

Ronnakorn then concealed her body below leaves on a secluded hillside.

Locals found her body that same day.

Later that evening police arrested the local beach cleaner and he subsequently admitted to raping and killing the woman from Hildesheim, Germany.

Ronnakorn has been in custody since the murder took place three months ago.

He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to death on Wednesday because the 'crime was so severe a reduced sentence was not possible'.

The judgment released from Chonburi Provincial Court read: 'Ronnakorn Romruen was guilty of raping (14 years in jail), murdering to conceal the crime (death penalty), drug taking and driving (eight months in jail), concealing the death of a person (one year in jail).

Ronnakorn Romruen pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of the German tourist after his arrest on April 7

Miriam Beelte had been on holiday in Thailand when she travelled alone to the island of Koh Si Chang to visit a historic stone monument on the island

The tourist from Hildesheim, Germany, was discovered dumped behind rocks with severe head wounds and a broken leg

It said because he confessed during the arrest, the court would mitigate the penalty by half for the charges related to rape, taking of methamphetamine, drunk driving and concealing the death of a person.

'But the overall crime is so severe that the defendant deserves to die and the punishment of the death penalty will stay in place for the charge of murdering to conceal a crime for which there is no mitigation.'

CCTV showed how Ronnakorn had followed Ms Beelte up the hill of the ancient stone monument while pestering her to sleep with him.

When she rejected his advances, the drug-crazed killer pinned her to the ground and raped her.

Ronnakorn Romruen at the police station where he confessed to raping and murdering a backpacker on a Thai island on Sunday April 7

He later told police that after she struggled free, he chased after her and battered her face with a rock until she was dead because he didn't want her to report the attack.

Ronnakorn then hid her body behind rocks and covered it with leaves.

Officers said that Ronnakorn confessed to murder after four hours of interrogation and he was taken back to his shabby wooden home in the early hours of the morning to re-enact parts of the crime.

After killing the single holidaymaker, he calmly watched TV while smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.

Ronnakorn's mother, Nongluck Phosang, 43, had previously called on prosecutors to hand down the death penalty to her son.

She said: 'My son and I didn't live together, so I didn't know much about what he usually did in the day. I only knew that he worked on a boat and collected rubbish from the beaches.

'He is a quiet guy who doesn't talk much. He likes to stay alone at home watching TV and listening to music, just like most of the guys.

'I deeply apologise to the girl's family on behalf of my son. I never thought that he could do anything like this.

'He deserves the full lawful punishment and I am willing to accept the judge's decision.'

Ronnakorn has one month in which to appeal the sentence before he is put on death row.