NZ tourist killed in bar fight in Thailand

A 32-year-old New Zealand tourist has died in a bar fight in the Thailand tourist resort town of Phuket.

The Phuket Gazette said Warwick Button died early last Thursday morning during a fight with a British bar owner and the bar owner's friend.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed Mr Button's death but would not give any further details.

Police reportedly charged the two men with manslaughter and released them on a bail of 600,000 baht ($24,500).

Chalong Police Inspector Lt Col Chokchai Sutthimek was quoted as saying he was informed of a fight at the Dimension Bar at about 1am local time on October 12.

Mr Chokchai arrived to find Mr Button already dead, the Gazette said.

Mr Button's girlfriend, who was also said to be from New Zealand but was not named, was quoted as saying she had dinner with him at a restaurant. The couple had an argument and Mr Button dropped her off at their hotel room before going back out on his own, the paper said.

She was reported as telling police that she only learned of her boyfriend's death after waking up the following morning.

Mr Button's next of kin are understood to have been notified of his death.

- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF