Thai convicted of tourist murders

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A court in eastern Thailand has sentenced a local man to death for the murder of two Russian women in the beach resort of Pattaya in February.

Tatyana Tsimfer, 30, and Liubov Svirkova, 25, were found shot dead in deckchairs on Jomtien Beach 150km (90 miles) south-east of Bangkok.

Anuchit Lamlert confessed to killing them during a robbery because he was afraid they would remember his face.

Anuchit's father, Suchart, said he would appeal against the verdict.

Thai law dictates that an automatic appeal must be held within 30 days for all death sentences.

The country's last execution was carried out in December 2003, when three convicted drug traffickers and a murderer were killed by lethal injection.