A PHUKET expat resident who had just separated from his Thai wife collapsed and died at a popular Rawai restaurant yesterday.

Chalong police named the man as Lason Baine Batrick, 48, who was French.

Police said Mr Batrick arrived at the popular Nikita's bar and restaurant, on the Rawai shorefront, about 4pm. He was a local resident and a regular customer, Phuketwan was told.

''He ordered a meal but before the food arrived, he suffered what appeared to be a heart attack,'' said Colonel Thapanapat Juturonphan.

Restaurant staff called Vachira Hospital in Phuket City and officials there sent an ambulance. Paramedics tried to revive the man, but to no avail.

Colonel Thapanapat said he had been told by restaurant staff that Mr Batrick looked ''serious and sad.'' Police were told that his Thai wife had recently left him, with their daughter. Mr Batrick's body is now in Vachira Hospital.

In another case that came to light today, an Australian tourist who died after being attacked in northern Thailand will be buried on Friday, farewelled by his pregnant Thai girlfriend and Adelaide family.

Andrew Oake, 28, had been holidaying in Prasat, near Surin in north-eastern Thailand, for two months with his girlfriend, Som, who is six months pregnant, the Australian Associated Press reported.

About four weeks ago the pair were travelling between villages when they were set upon by two men on motorbikes.

Som ran for help while Mr Oake was slashed on the arms and head with a machete in what might have been a failed robbery.

An infection developed during surgery and treatment in hospital and Mr Oake died on Sunday on a mini-bus while making the trip back to Prasat to fetch his passport.

Friend Travis Senne, an American living in Thailand, said he was concerned police had not made an arrest, weeks after the attack in the quiet town.