GUILTY Thailand - Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, Swiss tourist, found dead, Phuket, 5 Aug 2021 *Arrest*

[dotr]

Aug. 5, 2021
Thai police investigating death of foreign woman in Phuket
''BANGKOK (AP) — An investigation is underway in Thailand after the body of a Swiss woman was found Thursday at a secluded spot on the southern island of Phuket.

Thai media reported that the woman’s partially clothed body was lying face down in a rock crevice near a waterfall and appeared to have been concealed by a sheet. Personal documents nearby showed she was 57 years old.

The circumstances of the death weren’t immediately clear, but Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat said in a message posted to an online media group that Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai had contacted the Swiss ambassador to express his condolences “on the murder of a Swiss woman in Phuket.”

Tanee said the Phuket governor has promised an immediate investigation and autopsy.

The Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs said in an e-mail it was aware of the death of “an alleged Swiss citizen” in Phuket and that the victim had not yet been definitively identified. The Swiss Embassy in Bangkok was in contact with Thai authorities, it said, while declining to comment further for privacy reasons.''

 

[dotr]

Swiss woman is found 'raped and murdered' after travelling alone to Thailand in 'Sandbox' scheme | Daily Mail Online
''The 57-year-old was discovered lying face down in a rocky pool at the bottom of a waterfall with a black tarpaulin thrown over her body on Thursday afternoon.

A pair of jean shorts, underwear, a pair of trainers and a phone were found not far from her body at the nature reserve in the Wichit area of Phuket. ''

''Detectives and forensics experts inspect evidence after the body of a 57-year-old Swiss woman was found in a rocky pool close to a waterfall in the Wichit area of Phuket on Thursday''

''The woman was discovered not far from the Ao Yon waterfall, a popular tourist hiking spot in the Wichit area of Phuket not far from the coast

Detectives say the victim, who has not been named, died around three days ago.

She had been raped and murdered, local media reported.

Immigration officials confirmed that the Swiss woman arrived at Phuket airport from Singapore on July 13 under the Phuket Sandbox scheme which started last month.

The reopening scheme allows vaccinated foreigners to travel to Phuket without needing to quarantine as in other parts of the country.''

 

[annpats]

Oh my. When I first read it I thought maybe it was a hiking accident, but then I read the bit about being covered in a sheet/tarpaulin.
And then to read further and find out she's been raped.....

Just why do people do this? And to think tourism had only just started again to this area? Surely they need and rely on westerners money to live on?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A Swiss woman has been found dead near a waterfall in Thailand on the resort island of Phuket.

Local officials have identified the victim as 57-year-old Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, and launched an investigation.

Police found her face down in the water covered by a black sheet, with her phone, shorts and trainers nearby.

As yet it is unclear what happened to the Swiss national. Results of an autopsy are expected later on Friday.

Local officials however have suggested she was murdered.

A spokesman for Thailand's foreign minister Don Pramudwinai said on Twitter he had sent his condolences to the Swiss ambassador for the "murder of a Swiss woman in Phuket".

And government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had ordered police "to expedite the investigation to identify and arrest the culprit".

Swiss woman found dead in Thailand near waterfall

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Police on Friday (Aug 6) revealed the timeline of the Swiss woman who loved Thailand but was found murdered at a waterfall in Phuket on Thursday afternoon


Security camera footage shows Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, walking alone past Ao Yon beach at 11:33am on Tuesday, towards Ao Yon Waterfall, where her body was found. Image: Royal Thai Police


Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, deputy head of protocol of the Swiss Federal Assembly, arrived at Phuket airport on Singapore Airlines flight SQ726 at 10:34am on July 13, travelling on a Swiss passport. She had a tourist visa set to expire on Aug 26, reports the Bangkok Post.

She stayed at Dusit Laguna Hotel in Cherng Talay, Thalang, from July 13 to 27. She had reserved her room there via the Phuket Sandbox reopening project.

At the hotel she practised yoga every morning with hotel staff and slept at the hotel every night.

On July 25 she went to Bangkok Hospital Phuket in a limousine of AIG Co, which provided the service at the hotel.

On July 27 she checked out from the hotel and left in a Phuket-registered taxi called via the 12GO website, heading for Ao Nang in Krabi. She was alone. The chauffeur was identified as Hathairat Promchan.

She passed the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai at 11:05am on July 27.

At 1:36pm she checked in at Vacation Village Phra Nang Inn in Ao Nang, Krab. She stayed there until July 31. On July 30 she chartered a van arranged by the hotel to visit downtown Krabi that afternoon. The van driver was identified only as Bang Bao.

On July 31 the woman checked out of the hotel and travelled by the same taxi she had used in Phuket on July 27. The driver this time was Prasat Promkamnerd and he brought her back to Phuket.

She checked in at The Mooring Resort Hotel in Wichit, Phuket. From July 31 to Aug 3, she stayed at the hotel and relaxed on its beach.

According to security camera footage, on Tuesday (Aug 3) she walked out of the hotel about 11:25am to Ao Yon Beach. At 11:48am she walked alone on the Ao Yon-Khao Khat Rd towards Ao Yon Waterfall. She wore shorts, a white shirt and dark shoes, tied a long-sleeved shirt around her waist and carried a dark rucksack.

She walked 18 minutes, covering 1.4 kilometres from The Mooring Resort to Ao Yon Waterfall. She was later found dead in the stream at the waterfall at about 1:30pm on Thursday (Aug 5).

Phuket News: Swiss victim’s timeline to murder

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

POLICE are investigating the mystery death of a Swiss embassy official whose body was found near a waterfall on a Thai island as tourists flock back after Covid.

The body was found face down in a rock crevice and covered in a black sheet near Ao Yon waterfall on Phuket island, Thai cops said.

Nicole was last seen in CCTV footage walking alone past Ao Yon beach at 11:33am on Tuesday.

According to the police, the woman who had arrived at Phuket airport from Singapore on July 13, had already been dead for three days when she was located. She had been reported missing since Tuesday.

It's reported she was the Assistant Chief of Protocol of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland.

The police found a pair of blue sports shoes and a black backpack, as well as underwear and a phone close to Nicole's corpse, while she herself was wearing only a T-shirt and jacket at the time when she was discovered.

Security on the island has been ramped up as officials try to calm tourists who flocked there as part of the "sandbox" scheme.

Under the programme, double-jabbed holidaymakers are allowed on the island for 14 days without having to self-isolate and on to maintain Thailand after the fortnight and three negative Covid tests.

Kitirath Phanpetch, Phuket regional police commander, said the woman was spotted by a local resident on Thursday afternoon.

He said: "From what we saw at the scene, the body was covered with a black sheet, which suggests it was done by someone and she did not die of natural causes."

Deputy Inspector General Wuttichai Chanfai said: "We received the report at 1:30 pm that the body of the foreign woman was found.

"The police and doctors that arrived at the scene found the body face down in the crevice of waterfall rocks, where her body was covered with a black sheet. Her lower body was bare.

"From the condition of the body, we estimate that she had been dead for at least 48 hours.

"This is a remote and isolated waterfall that only an expert would know how to reach.'

Mystery as embassy official found murdered near waterfall on Thai island

 

[LadyL]

arrest

UPDATE: Phuket police claim they have arrested a suspect in the murder of the Swiss Sandboxer | Thaiger

 

[BrownRice]

How horrible. She obviously felt comfortable traveling alone and was adventurous. She practiced yoga every morning and evening. Sounds like a lovely woman. I don’t want to imagine the last minutes of her life. In such a peaceful and beautiful location.

 

[otto]

arrest

UPDATE: Phuket police claim they have arrested a suspect in the murder of the Swiss Sandboxer | Thaiger

It's a bit of a concern that authorities make a quick arrest and explain that the suspect is not a scapegoat because he confessed.

I don't know anywhere in the western world where a sneaky murder like this is tidied up in 24-48 hours including investigation, arrest, confession, and announcement that the murder is solved. By the time there is a trial, if the suspect alleges that the confession was forced because he is a scapegoat, that means the murder goes un-solved because too much time passed between murder, arrest, trial and search for new suspect.

 

[everybodhi]

It's a bit of a concern that authorities make a quick arrest and explain that the suspect is not a scapegoat because he confessed.

I don't know anywhere in the western world where a sneaky murder like this is tidied up in 24-48 hours including investigation, arrest, confession, and announcement that the murder is solved. By the time there is a trial, if the suspect alleges that the confession was forced because he is a scapegoat, that means the murder goes un-solved because too much time passed between murder, arrest, trial and search for new suspect.

This is so true and it's not the first time. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were also allegedly killed by migrant Burmese (Myanmar), coincidentally.
Tourism is an even bigger issue now, as Covid is spreading wildly due to the Delta variant.

There's also a websleuths thread on Hannah and David, in that thread people living in Thailand predict the migrants in prison now will be sent home by the king, eventually, quietly after the case is forgotten.
I live in South Asia and can attest that, generally, corruption within government, including LE, is accepted here. Police stand in the road in the cities stopping traffic and collecting cash from the driver and passengers for minor accusations they make up, like smelling cigarette smoke in the car but no one smokes, and it isn't against the law, people smoke in restaurants here! If a westerner is in the car, you may pay a couple hundred to not go wait in jail to fight your case. I've been in cars where the driver did a U-turn and we sat in a coffee shop for an hour until they left, saved me money, no doubt.
Wiki summed it up well in their opening paragraphs.
Koh Tao murders - Wikipedia
The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. On 15 September, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead on a beach on the island of Koh Tao. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned.
The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Pathologists and legal experts criticised the police for mishandling the evidence, allowing contamination of the crime scene and failing to use experts to collect forensic evidence. The court was criticised for fast-tracking the 18-day trial and not allowing the defence adequate time to prepare. In December 2015 the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment.
The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years.

 

[annpats]

I always had doubts that the 2 Burmese migrants killed the Koh Tao British tourists.

Physically, they didn't seem capable. They were skinny, under 5ft tall, and what possible motive did they have? None.

When the Thai police paraded them around on the TV, I just felt sorry for them as I they had obviously been set up.

Still, the Thai police needed to arrest someone, and fast, to save face. A Burmese immigrant is pretty much the bottom of their pile, sadly.
If the Thai police say you did it, then you did it. No argument, no defence.

 

[everybodhi]

I always had my doubts that the 2 Burmese migrants killed the Koh Tao British tourists. Physically, they didn't seem capable. And when the Thai police parwdd them around on the TV, I just felt sorry for them as I thought they had been set up.
Still, the Thai police were needing to arrest someone, and fast, to save face. A Burmese immigrant is pretty much the bottom of their pile, sadly.

Yep, they are there to work for low wages to send home to their family where wages are even lower, they have absolutely no means to fight it and a Thai court will easily convict them.
Problem solved.

 

[otto]

This is so true and it's not the first time. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were also allegedly killed by migrant Burmese (Myanmar), coincidentally.
Tourism is an even bigger issue now, as Covid is spreading wildly due to the Delta variant.
View attachment 307990
There's also a websleuths thread on Hannah and David, in that thread people living in Thailand predict the migrants in prison now will be sent home by the king, eventually, quietly after the case is forgotten.
I live in South Asia and can attest that, generally, corruption within government, including LE, is accepted here. Police stand in the road in the cities stopping traffic and collecting cash from the driver and passengers for minor accusations they make up, like smelling cigarette smoke in the car but no one smokes, and it isn't against the law, people smoke in restaurants here! If a westerner is in the car, you may pay a couple hundred to not go wait in jail to fight your case. I've been in cars where the driver did a U-turn and we sat in a coffee shop for an hour until they left, saved me money, no doubt.
Wiki summed it up well in their opening paragraphs.
Koh Tao murders - Wikipedia
The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. On 15 September, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead on a beach on the island of Koh Tao. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned.
The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Pathologists and legal experts criticised the police for mishandling the evidence, allowing contamination of the crime scene and failing to use experts to collect forensic evidence. The court was criticised for fast-tracking the 18-day trial and not allowing the defence adequate time to prepare. In December 2015 the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment.
The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years.

I remember when that happened. It didn't seem quite right. Coercion "scapegoat" to solve the problem and preserve tourism?

Tourism is the reason that the original outbreak was not contained - didn't want to disrupt cruise ships, or manage passengers - believing that the flu can be left behind at port.

Can you imagine what the next strong variant will look like? Only question is where it will originate.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

The alleged murderer of a 57-year-old Swiss woman found dead on the Thai island of Phuket has confessed to the crime. He has been charged with murder and robbery resulting in death.

The 27-year-old Thai told a press conference, which he attended by telephone with his lawyer, that he strangled the woman and then stole 300 baht (CHF8.20) from her. She had not been raped, as had been initially reported in some media.

“I would like to apologise to the tourist’s family and beg all Thais to excuse me,” the man said on Sunday, the day after his arrest. The head of police for the southern region said the man had confessed during an interrogation.

The woman was found dead on Thursday near a remote waterfall in the south of the island. Shorts, a smartphone and a passport were found nearby. According to the authorities, she had been dead for not more than three days, so an autopsy could shed light on the matter. There has been no official statement on the cause of death.

The police said the man had been in the area collecting exotic plants. He saw the woman swimming, watched her for a while and then tried to steal her belongings. A fight ensued, which probably led to the woman’s death, the police said. The man then stole 300 baht from the woman’s backpack, which he hid behind a tree. He then covered the body with a black tarpaulin and fled.

Thai man admits to killing Swiss tourist on Phuket

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A man has been charged with the murder of a Swiss tourist who was found earlier this week on the resort island of Phuket, police have said.

The body of Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, was discovered face down in water in a rock crevice near a waterfall Thursday afternoon by an island resident.

Thai police charge local man with murder of Swiss tourist on Phuket

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

The suspect in the murder of a Swiss tourist in Phuket has confessed to committing the crime with the intention of robbing money from the victim to buy drugs, the police chief revealed on Sunday.

National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk stated in a press release on Sunday morning: “The suspect in the murder of a Swiss tourist at Ton Ao Yon waterfall in Phuket province is a 27-year-old local resident who lives near the crime scene, and had lost his job due to the pandemic.

"The suspect was arrested on an arrest warrant on Saturday and has confessed to the crime.

"An investigation of CCTV footage showed that the suspect was riding a motorcycle towards the crime scene 12 minutes before the deceased arrived, and drove back on the same route three hours later,” the police chief said.

Thailand: Suspect in death of Swiss tourist says he intended to rob not kill

 

[Bit of hope]

How sad, a brave woman, enjoying life, traveling alone, loving Thailand and then this perp crossed her path. Very good they caught him this quick. If he "just" wanted to rob her, why he desecrated her body and killed her. BS story.

Rest easy Nicole.

 

[otto]

The alleged murderer of a 57-year-old Swiss woman found dead on the Thai island of Phuket has confessed to the crime. He has been charged with murder and robbery resulting in death.

The 27-year-old Thai told a press conference, which he attended by telephone with his lawyer, that he strangled the woman and then stole 300 baht (CHF8.20) from her. She had not been raped, as had been initially reported in some media.

“I would like to apologise to the tourist’s family and beg all Thais to excuse me,” the man said on Sunday, the day after his arrest. The head of police for the southern region said the man had confessed during an interrogation.

The woman was found dead on Thursday near a remote waterfall in the south of the island. Shorts, a smartphone and a passport were found nearby. According to the authorities, she had been dead for not more than three days, so an autopsy could shed light on the matter. There has been no official statement on the cause of death.

The police said the man had been in the area collecting exotic plants. He saw the woman swimming, watched her for a while and then tried to steal her belongings. A fight ensued, which probably led to the woman’s death, the police said. The man then stole 300 baht from the woman’s backpack, which he hid behind a tree. He then covered the body with a black tarpaulin and fled.

Thai man admits to killing Swiss tourist on Phuket

I wonder why her shorts and underwear were removed if she had not been raped? Perhaps death during robbery is a lesser crime than death during rape?

"The police and doctors that arrived at the scene found the body face down in the crevice of waterfall rocks, where her body was covered with a black sheet. Her lower body was bare."
​

Mystery as embassy official found murdered near waterfall on Thai island

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A SUSPECTED killer has re-enacted the moment he throttled to death a Swiss diplomat to steal $9 before dumping her body face down in a river.

Teerawat Thothip, 27, confessed to attacking Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, at a secluded waterfall in Phuket, Thailand, last Tuesday.



Thothip said he pounced on her from behind then strangled her face down in the shallow water at the beauty spot until she passed out.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Teerawat said he then stole 300 baht ($9 or £6) from Nicole's pockets and covered her body with a black sheet before fleeing.

He was taken on a crime reenactment yesterday where he showed cops how he strangled Nicole to death.

Teerawat admitted murdering Nicole because he was broke due to the Covid-19 pandemic and she "looked like she had money" but denied raping her as she "struggled too much".

'Killer' re-enacts moment he ‘murdered woman before stealing just $9’

 

[everybodhi]

How sad, a brave woman, enjoying life, traveling alone, loving Thailand and then this perp crossed her path. Very good they caught him this quick. If he "just" wanted to rob her, why he desecrated her body and killed her. BS story.

Rest easy Nicole.

They tend to solve crimes against tourists very quickly, I guess the Burmese immigrant who confessed on Saturday didn't work out.