A backpacker was found dead yesterday night after being brutally raped and murdered hours after arriving on a Thai island.

Miriam Beelte, 26, from Hildesheim, Germany, was discovered dumped behind rocks with severe head wounds on idyllic Koh Si Chang.

Killer Ronnakorn Romruen, 24, later confessed to the murder – and was filmed showing police how he ‘repeatedly smashed her face with a rock’.

Miriam Beelte, 26, from Hildesheim, Germany, was discovered dumped behind rocks with severe head wounds on idyllic Koh Si Chang

The local confessed he had pestered Miriam for sex but when she refused, he followed her into the woodland and pinned her to the ground before raping her.


When Romruen was arrested a few hours later, he police he deliberately murdered Miriam by repeatedly hitting her in the face with a rock to stop her from reporting the attack.

Uncle Ben's rebrands as Ben's Original and drops racist logo

He then tried to hide the blood-spattered body under leaves in a small gap between rocks.



At a police conference in Chonburi province yesterday afternoon, Ronnakorn wore a blue bag over his head as he was paraded to the public.

A police worker in a yellow t-shirt then laid on the ground as Ronnakorn demonstrated with a brick how he battered Miriam’s face until she lost consciousness.

He told police that he had taken methamphetamine at the time of the time.

He then returned home and washed his clothes in a bid to hide the evidence.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Killer Ronnakorn Romruen, 24, later confessed to the murder – and was filmed showing police how he ‘repeatedly smashed her face with a rock’

He then tried to hide the blood-spattered body under leaves in a small gap between rocks

Miriam was found a few hours later just before 6pm by a local resident who alerted police and the island was sealed off.

Speaking today, Police Colonel Angkul Sarakul said Ronnakorn confessed to the murder.

Most of the 500 whales stranded off Tasmania have now died

He said: ‘This is how he did it. This is how he killed the tourist. He used a rock to hit her in the face.’

Police Colonel Sarakul said that Ronnakorn would be charged with premeditated murder, rape and concealing a body.

He has been detained at the Chonburi Police Station while officers prepare legal paperwork for him to be submitted to court.

The local confessed he had pestered Miriam for sex but when she refused, he followed her into the woodland and pinned her to the ground before raping her

Miriam was found a few hours later just before 6pm by a local resident who alerted police and the island was sealed off

The police chief added: ‘The suspect has confessed to raping and killing the young woman. He will now face legal proceedings.

‘Police were very quick to catch him. We were able to trace him as he was very near to where he killed the tourist.’

The maximum punishment for murder is the death penalty.